LoVe Is All Around You
by HBQ100
Summary: Updated and Revised! Begins where episode 1.22 ends. Veronica opens the door to find... Weevil! LoVe centric with full ensemble.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Starts at the end of 1.22 with Veronica opening the door. LoVe centric with full ensemble.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**Let My LoVe Open the Door **

Veronica opened the door and smiled. "I was hoping it was you." She'd called him from the hospital after finding out her dad was going to be okay.

"Yeah, well, like I said before, we're always owin' each other favors." Weevil smirked back at her. "This one definitely pushes you into the owin' _me_ column."

Veronica crossed her arms in front of her. "So, you found him?" She stepped out onto the walkway. The Xterra was easy to spot in the parking lot, especially surrounded by the PCHer's bikes. Relief flooded through her. "All these guys for one pretty-boy '09er? You losing your touch, Weevil?" Her usually cool exterior was broken after the events of the night, but relief allowed the joke to escape.

Weevil hesitated. "Something like that." He motioned towards his boys. As Veronica watched, they pulled a bound and gagged Logan out of the SUV. "I had a little trouble convincing him to come with me." As they carried him up the stairs Veronica realized Logan was not only tied up, he was unconscious and covered in bruises. She turned an accusatory face to Weevil. "Before you go off on me…" But he knew it was useless. He'd fucked up and he'd take his punishment like a man. "You know what? I'm not even gonna try. Me and the boys went lookin' for him earlier tonight. We sorta found him before you called."

Veronica opened the door wider so the guys could get Logan into the apartment, then followed them inside. "Put him on the couch." She turned her head to look at Weevil as she knelt down next to Logan. "And you beat him until he blacked out?" She took the gag out of his mouth, felt for the pulse at his throat. Still strong.

"Boys, I'll be down in a minute." Weevil's boys filed out, closing the door behind them. He didn't need witnesses to the smack down he knew she was going to give him. This would definitely put him back in the owing _her_ column. "Look, I heard you on the phone earlier. You said he killed Lilly, so I went looking for him. We were in the middle of it when you called, but I stopped it right then." He watched Veronica smooth the hair back from Logan's forehead, but he noticed she hadn't moved to untie him. "After that, it was a little difficult to convince him to come with us peaceably." Weevil shuffled his feet, looking down at the ground. The next part came out as little more than a mumble. "He passed out when I popped his shoulder back into place."

"You dislocated his shoulder? What the hell were you thinking?" Now Veronica was advancing on him, murderous intent shining in her eyes. "He could have a concussion, or worse! Maybe internal bleeding. How long has he been out? I swear, anything happens to him…"

Weevil put his hands up in surrender. "Whoa there, Cujo. Your boy's fine. I've done enough beat downs; I know the damage I caused. We hadn't gotten to anything serious when you called. Just a little pain, nothing permanent. He's passed out 'cause he was already drunk off his ass when we found him. He was playin' on an overpass. Looked to me like he was thinking about jumping." Weevil relaxed a little when Veronica backed down. Truthfully, right now, he felt sorry for the guy. Logan would never be his favorite person. Hell, he still didn't want to be in the same room with him. Didn't have a clue what Veronica saw in him. But his own dad, killing his girlfriend? Weevil followed her into the small kitchen. "You okay, V? You look like you took a few punches tonight yourself."

Veronica wet down a kitchen towel. "I'm fine. My dad's worse than I am. He'll be in the hospital for a while, but the doctors say he's going to be fine too. Logan's dad… " She glanced back at Logan, wanting to make sure he was still out. She kept her voice low as she continued. "His head hit the windshield when I crashed the car. My dad beat the crap out of him. Backup tried to take a chunk out of his arm. Then he got hit by a delivery truck."

"He deserves worse." Weevil put a comforting hand on her arm. "You sure you're gonna be okay? I can stay if you need me. You might have some trouble with him when he wakes up."

Veronica's smile was weak, but it was there. "I can handle Logan. But I do need another favor?" Veronica's smile widened when Weevil rolled his eyes. "Hide his car? The police are probably looking for him, and I know reporters are going to be after him. I want to be the one to tell him what happened. I owe him that much."

Weevil shrugged. "I'll take it to my uncle's place. Let me know when you want it back." He walked with Veronica to the front door. "You need anything, you call me. You got it? Anything, V."

The concern in Weevil's voice almost broke her. When Lilly died, Veronica lost everyone in her life but her dad. She was an outcast in school, in her town. But over the past year, she'd made friends again. Probably better friends than she had before. She gave Weevil a quick hug and a nod, then wiped a tear from her cheek. "Thank you, Eli." She shut the door behind him, then turned to deal with Logan.

--- VVV

It was a little past seven when Logan began to stir on the couch. Veronica was sitting on the floor in front of him. She'd cleaned him the best she could without untying him. She dismissed the thought of taking off the ropes almost immediately. She had a better chance of Logan listening to her, of him staying in one place, if he couldn't get up to runaway. Weevil's speculation that Logan might have jumped off the overpass the night before only reaffirmed her decision. After everything that happened in the past twenty-four hours, she seriously doubted he would want to stay with her, but this would at least give her a chance to tell him the truth. And since Weevil had taken the SUV, Logan couldn't leave to do any damage in the car. Veronica scooted closer at the first moan. "Logan?"

Logan's entire body ached and his head was killing him. He opened his eyes for a second, shutting them almost immediately. Morning. He hated morning. He tried to raise his arm to block out the unwanted light, but couldn't lift it from his side. _What the hell?_ This time he squinted and turned his head. "Veronica?" He couldn't think clearly. What was Veronica doing in his… bedroom? No, that wasn't right.

Veronica knelt next to him blocking the sunlight streaming in though the window. She'd shut the blinds, but light was peaking in from the sides. "Yeah, it's me. I heard you were pretty drunk last night." She pushed a few strands of hair back from his forehead, ran her fingers through the rest. "Probably have a hell of a hangover."

Logan closed his eyes, taking pleasure in Veronica's hand on his aching head. "Yeah, real drunk." Parts of the night before started to slide into place. He tried to sit up, but couldn't. "That fuckin' spic… "

Veronica placed a gentle kiss on his brow. "His name's Weevil. It was a… misunderstanding. He brought you to me, so I could take care of you."

Logan opened his eyes fully this time. All he could do was stare at her. Veronica smiling down at him. Veronica... Veronica... Veronica. "You think I killed Lilly."

She slowly shook her head. "No, I don't. I know who killed Lilly. I found out last night." She tried to smile again, tried to reassure me, but it wouldn't come. "Logan, we need to talk."

Pushing past the pain was easy. Logan lived with worse beatings than the one he got the night before from the bikers. But not being able to move, something was wrong with that. He finally glanced down. "If you're so sure I didn't kill Lilly, mind telling me why I'm tied up on your couch?"

Veronica ignored his question. She stood up, placing her hands gently on his shoulders. "Let's get you sitting up, okay?"

Logan let her help him; he didn't have a choice. "Answer me, Veronica." He could only watch as she walked away from him, down the small hall of the apartment. "Veronica! Tell me what's going on!"

She returned a minute later, a glass of water and two aspirin in her hands. She stopped in front of him. "You told me once you wanted me to trust you. I said I did, but… I know I don't have the right to ask, but I need you to trust me now."

Logan didn't answer her immediately. He took his time, searching for the truth of her words in her eyes. That's when he noticed the bruise on her forehead. Something bad had happened. His voice was quite, but deadly. "Did Duncan do that to you?" The surprise on Veronica's face was immediate. "You said you found out last night who killed Lilly. Was it Duncan?"

Veronica offered him the aspirin. After a moment he tilted his head back and opened his mouth. She dropped the pills in, then fed him the water to wash them down. She knelt back down in front of him, putting her hands on his knees. "I'm going to take the pill thing as a sign you're willing to trust me." Logan nodded. She'd explain slowly and thoroughly, knowing she was only going to get one shot. "I went to the Kane's house last night to search for the letter you wrote to Lilly. I figured if it wasn't in her car with the shot glass, she might have hidden it in the air vent. Just like you taught her."

Logan's voice was a whisper. "You believed me."

Veronica could only stare at him. His voice held a mix of awe and… forgiveness? Could he forgive her that quickly for turning him over to the police? For believing it was possible he could have killed Lilly? For not knowing him half as well as he seemed to know her? God, she stood in Lilly's room and told Duncan that Logan had killed his sister.

"Duncan caught me in her room. Together we found videotapes in the vent. We watched them." Veronica kept her eyes glued to his. He was willing to wait. To let her take him wherever she wanted to go. She wiped the tears from her eyes. "They were tapes of her having sex with… with another guy. I took the tapes. I was going to give them to my dad, but something happened as I was driving home. There was someone in the car. He was hiding in the back seat. I crashed the car, trying to get away from him. I got out, tried to run, go for help, but he followed me. I was able to hide the tapes before he caught up with me." She was speaking fast now, reliving all of it again. "He locked me in a freezer and he poured gasoline on it. He wanted the tapes. And then my dad found us. And they fought. And somehow, I don't even know what happened, but there was fire and then my dad opened the lid and I was out, but he had walked through the fire to get to me and he was burning." She tried to take a deep breath, but she was crying so hard.

Logan's voice was calm. "Untie me." She shook her head no. "Ronnie, I'm not going anywhere, but you've got to untie me. I'm not going to leave you. Trust me." Veronica's hands were shaking as she tried to untie the ropes. All she was able to do was loosen them, but it was enough. Logan freed his arms, and lifted her into his lap. "You're safe now, Veronica. It's going to be all right, I promise." He rocked her like a small child. "I'm here. No one's going to hurt you ever again. I'm here."

It took several minutes for Veronica to calm down, Logan whispering words of comfort to her the entire time. She had broken down in front of her dad, but she didn't realize how scared and violated she still felt until she tried to tell Logan what happened. "I need to tell you the rest."

Logan squeezed her to him. Pain shot through ever muscle in his body, but he ignored it. "I know, but can I get these ropes off first?" That, at least, caused her to smile. He picked her up, settling her on the couch so he could stand and shed his restraints. Another wave of pain. Fuck the pain! He'd lived through worse. Besides, Veronica needed him. He grabbed a box of tissues, handing them to her. "You're a mess, Mars." Again she smiled. When she was comfortably seated back on his lap, he questioned her. "Is your dad okay?"

Veronica nodded. "He's in the hospital, but the doctors say he's going to be fine." She waited for him to ask who'd done it. Who hurt her, her dad, killed Lilly, but Logan didn't ask. "While my dad was getting me out, the man tried to run. There was a car, a deliver van. He was hit. I found my dad's gun, held him at gunpoint while the kid in the van called nine-one-one."

Logan kissed her. A real kiss, not peppered kisses on her forehead, but the type of kiss they were so good at. Just like the first kiss at the Camelot. "Remind me never to piss off you or your dad again." And then he smirked. A patented Logan Echolls' smirk. He gently wiped tears off her face with his index finger. "What happened to Lilly?"

Veronica opened her mouth, but nothing would come out. She tried again, but she couldn't do it. Couldn't say the words. She had to tell him, but telling him might destroy him. Lilly, then his mom, now his dad. Could she take everything away from him like that? For all his bravado, the Logan she knew was fragile.

Logan placed his hands on either side of her face, gently forcing her to look him in the eye. "Veronica, what did Aaron do to Lilly?" Veronica's eyes widened in surprise, fear, amazement, and a few dozen other emotions Logan couldn't pin down, but he continued to look at her with complete calm. "You didn't tie me up to tell me the butler did it. You said you found the tapes in her room. Of the two of them? She threatened him, didn't she? Threatened to expose their relationship? That would have sent him completely over the edge."

Veronica was crying again, but this time she was crying for him. This time she hugged him, was offering her comfort to him. "He must have gone to the house to confront her. When she wouldn't give him the tapes…"

"He lost it and he hit her." Logan said it so matter of factly. "I don't think it's going to be a big surprise when I tell you he hits me, right? I mean, you saw what he did to Trina's boyfriend. You must have known it wasn't the first time. But he never hit Trina. Never hit my mom. I, I didn't think he'd hit a woman." Slowly now, Logan was breaking. He slid out from under Veronica and began to pace. "What was she thinking? She knew… Lilly _knew_ what he was like! Knew what he was capable of! I could kill her myself for just being so fucking _stupid_!" His voice was getting louder, he was beginning to shake. "I told you before, Lilly loved guys, but to sleep with my _dad_? Was she out of her _fucking_ mind? Other guys, maybe I could handle. Hell even Weevil, but this… She had to pick the one person that would hurt me the most. She could be such a _complete_ bitch when she wanted to be. _Damn it, Lilly_! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! …"

Veronica could do nothing but watch as Logan stormed through her apartment. He was beating his fist on the walls, the door, the counter, but he wasn't hurting himself or her, wasn't destroying what little possessions she had, so she let it go. It was obvious he needed this. He needed to be mad at Lilly for sleeping with his dad, because when he was done, he'd have to deal with the fact that his dad had killed her. And he obviously wasn't ready to deal with that yet. She pulled her legs up to her chest and watched him have a complete meltdown. And when it was over, she'd be there.

---TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**LoVe Songs of the Secret Police **

Around ten Veronica persuaded Logan to take a shower. He still had blood on his clothes from the night before, so she gave him a pair of her father's sweats to wear since he had nothing else. He was adamant he wasn't going back to his house. Actually, he said he was never going back there again. They'd deal with it later. Right now they had other things to worry about.

--- VVV

"Thanks for doing this, Wallace." Veronica let her best friend into the apartment. "How much do I owe you?"

"The receipt's in the bag. I put it on my mom's charge, so write the check out to her. And can I just say, picking out some other dude's underwear, not something I wanna do _ever_ again." As Wallace handed her the shopping bag, he glanced around the small apartment looking for Logan. "How's he doing?"

"He's managing, I think. He's making phone calls right now. He's been in my room for awhile, but I haven't heard anything I don't know... weird?" Veronica put the bag on the floor. "You want something to drink?"

Wallace shrugged as he sat down at the kitchen island. "Sure, I'll take a water." Veronica got him a bottle out of the fridge. "What happens now?"

Veronica leaned on the counter across from him. "Cliff should be here soon. We're going to the hospital to see to my dad, then we're going to the police station. I'm sure that's going to be a circus."

"It's going to be more than a circus. It's all over the news, the radio, the papers. You up for that?" Wallace was worried about her. Veronica acted all strong and tough, but he knew the truth – she was a marshmallow. Especially when someone she cared about was involved. "You don't have to do this. He can go to the police with Cliff. You don't have to go with him."

"Actually, I do. I have to give my statement, which means Logan's going to be sitting around waiting for me. He doesn't know anything, not about his dad and Lilly. Of course, Lamb being Lamb, who knows what's really going to happen. I know he'll say something nasty about Lilly, and Logan's going to lose it." The reporters she could deal with; she'd been through it before when her dad was ousted from office. But the thought of Lamb questioning-slash-interrogating Logan, gave her nightmares.

"You want me to go with you?" Wallace wasn't a fan of Logan, but he'd do whatever he could to help Veronica.

"We'll be fine." Veronica smiled brightly, but Wallace continued to stare, obviously not believing her. She slumped against the counter. "I just want to get him through today. Hospital, police, hotel. We'll deal with tomorrow, tomorrow."

Wallace slowly nodded. "Okay. But if you need me..."

"Thanks, Wallace. Again." Veronica's smile was a little less bright, but more real. Things weren't going to be _fine_, but the people she cared about were safe and Lilly's killer was in custody. The rest would work itself out. "I need to give Logan the clothes, but stick around. I'll be right back." She walked down the short hall, knocked softly on the door before opening it. She expected to find Logan on the phone, but instead he was wandering around her room. "I've got clothes," she said as she shook the bag. "You make your calls?"

Logan pulled her to him, laid his cheek against the top of her head. He finished a few minutes before, but he heard her talking to someone, her friend Wallace he thought. He stayed in the room; he wasn't ready to see anyone else right now. All he wanted was Veronica. "Trina was a peach. I think she's already perfected her devastated daughter act. She's flying in tomorrow, but she's going to stay at the house, so I doubt we'll see much of her. And I booked us a suite at the Neptune Grand."

"A suite? You spoil me." Veronica wanted to cuddle close, but she was afraid to hurt him. After his shower, he'd come out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist. She'd seen every bruise the PCHers had put on him. When she got her hands on Weevil... "What is the Grand's policy on pets?"

"You pay enough, you do whatever you want. Back-Up is coming with us." Logan wasn't as worried about his bruises; he tightened his hold on her. "You don't need to stay with me. I'll be fine in the hotel by myself."

"No, you won't. Besides, maybe I want to hide out with you." Veronica gave him a quick kiss, then stepped back. "Wallace is still here. Once you've changed, come out and thank him for the clothes." She saw the anxiety cross his face. "It's Wallace, Logan. He's not going to say anything to upset you."

--- VVV

There was a deputy guarding Keith's door when Veronica, Logan and Cliff arrived at the hospital. He reached for his walkie-talkie the minute he saw them. Veronica looked at Cliff, and the lawyer stayed outside the room to deal with it while she and Logan went in to see her dad. She rushed to her dad's side enveloping him in a careful hug. "Lamb has you under guard? Is he planning on arresting you for something?"

Keith smiled at his daughter. She looked much better than the last time he'd seen her. "No, Karl is there to keep the reports out." He glanced at Logan who was leaning against the back wall. The boy looked worse than Veronica. Earlier on the phone, she told her dad about the incident with the PCHers. She didn't want him questioning Logan about his appearance. Keith was willing to let it slide. It had been a bad night for everyone. "How you doing, son?"

Logan shifted his weight from side-to-side - guilty, nervous and not happy about that fact he was in the same building with his father. He knew Aaron was in the hospital somewhere. Veronica told him the medics had taken his dad away in an ambulance with a sheriff's guard. But his immediate concern was Veronica's dad. Logan wasn't sure what to say. Aaron had tried to kill him and Veronica. "I… I'm sorry about what Aaron did to you. To Veronica. I didn't know…"

"You have nothing to apologize for, Logan. You're not responsible for your father's actions. Besides, if you start apologizing, then I'll have to apologize for handing you over to Lamb, and what good would it do any of us?" Keith grabbed Veronica's hand, turning his attention back to his daughter. "The doctor was in earlier, honey. He checked my burns again. No third degree, so everything should heal on it's own. I'll have to stay here for a while, but I got off lucky."

Veronica barked out a laugh. "Yeah, lucky." Second-degree burns would be painful, but they wouldn't require skin grafts like third degree burns. She wiped a few tears from her cheeks. "I thought Alicia would still be here."

Keith struggled in bed. Veronica motioned for Logan, and the two helped Keith sit up. "Thanks, kids. I sent her home. She was here most of the morning and I wanted her to get some rest. Besides, the state police came in soon after the doctor left. I had to give a statement."

Veronica sat on the edge of the bed. "The state police? What were they doing here?"

"That party you crashed, it was for the Governor, remember? Every major state political official was there. And they were all still there when Aaron was arrested. I heard there were a few choice comments made about the Sheriff's Department's handling of the original investigation. It's all a political play, but the mayor asked for the Governor's help, so the Governor turned the investigation over to the State Police. The Neptune Sheriff's Department is officially off the Lilly Kane murder case."

"Wow." A smile played at the corner of Veronica's lips. Ah, the silver lining. "Lamb has to be _furious_ right now."

"Yes, and it couldn't happen to a nicer person. He's been ordered to cooperate fully with the State Police. That's why Karl's standing guard outside." Keith glanced between Veronica and Logan. "When you give your statements, you're going to have to tell the whole story from the beginning. These guys have the Sheriff's Department files, but they don't have any faith in them. The captain in charge is an old colleague of mine, Dwight Burrows. You've met him before, Veronica. He's a damn fine cop, so don't give him an attitude. He got handed a very messy situation. I told him he could get our files from you, honey, but I want to keep a copy of everything. Make sure you copy it all before you hand it over. They'll probably have a officer watch you do it, but I'd feel better if you made the copies."

Veronica nodded. "Should we go to the office to get them before we go to the station?" Keith put all the files, even the one's he'd been keeping at home, in the safe at the office when Lianne showed up.

"No, just go to the station. Do what you were planning on doing. I told Dwight you'd be staying at the Neptune Grand until I got out of the hospital. He'll send someone over tomorrow to escort you to the office for the files." Keith blinked his eyes several times, trying to keep the sleep at bay. "Before you leave I want to get a complaint on record. I know you'll be safer at the Grand. I know the hotel will keep out the reporters. But I'm still not crazy about you staying with Logan." Keith locked eyes with the boy to his left. "No offense, Logan. I meant what I said; you aren't responsible for your father's actions. You're innocent in this. But you're still a teenage boy alone in a hotel with my daughter."

Veronica rolled her eyes and tried hard to suppress her laughter, but it did feel good to be loved and worried about. She opened her mouth to answer, but Logan beat her to it. "You have nothing to worry about, Mr. Mars. I promise. The suite has two bedrooms, but I can get her another room if you'd prefer. Maybe Wallace or Mac could come stay with her, if it would make you feel better." Veronica stared at Logan. His voice was somber. He almost sounded like her dad – protective and… dangerous.

Keith read a lot into Logan's statement, mostly because he wanted to. But… there was something about the boy. He was doing a fair job of covering it right now, but Keith knew he was devastated. In essence, he'd lost Lilly all over again, so had Veronica. And he'd lost any illusions he held about his father. Topped with his mother's suicide, it was too much for one person to handle alone. He probably needed to lean on Veronica as much as she needed to lean on him. He looked at his daughter again. "The check?"

Veronica briefly slid her eyes to Logan. She hadn't exactly told him this part yet. She'd taken care of it when he was in the shower. "The lawyer is going to stop payment on the check. They'll re-issue it when you get out of the hospital. He said they'd be deducting the fees for the stop-pay, but I didn't think you'd care."

Keith saw Logan studying his daughter; the boy had no idea what she was talking about. "Thank you, honey. I know it was difficult for you."

For Veronica, her mother taking the fifty thousand dollar check was the cherry on top of the sundae. The affair, the drinking, running away, skipping out on rehab - rehab Veronica paid for with her college money. No, calling the Kane's lawyer to stop payment on the check wasn't difficult at all. "You and me against the world."

"Always." She leaned over to kiss him, and Keith grasped her hand tighter. His girl. His girl that he was leaving in the care of Logan Echolls. "Honey. Give Logan and me a minute alone, okay?"

Veronica's eyes narrowed. "Dad...."

Keith lightly shook his head. "I'm in a hospital bed, pumped full of painkillers. I can barely move. Besides, you have my gun. What am I going to do to him?"

Veronica shook her head as she leaned over to place another kiss on her dad's cheek. "Be nice," she whispered before pulling away. She also made a show of kissing Logan on the cheek before she left the room.

The door clicked softly and the room descended into silence. The drugs interfered with Keith's vision, but he did his best to stare down the young man standing in front of him. He had to give the boy credit; he didn't look away. Logan locked eyes with him and waited. He never knew Logan had that much patience. "Veronica has good instincts about people, Logan. She trusts you, so I want to trust you. Don't give me a reason not to. Clear?"

Logan nodded curtly. "Yes, sir." Check? What check? And why was it important? A conversation to have later with Veronica.

Keith's expression softened. "You can call me Keith, son." He patted the space next to him Veronica had vacated. "Sit down. It strains my neck to look up at you." Logan discomfort was palatable, but he did it while Keith studied him again. He hated being stuck in the hospital. He wanted to be at the Sheriff's Department with the kids. Right now it wasn't an option, but he could offer a little advice. "Dwight Burrows is a good guy and damn fine officer, but if you start giving him lip, he'll take it personally. That's not what you need right now. You feel yourself getting.... anxious, you tell him you need a break. He'll be fine with it. Lamb shouldn't be around too much, but if you see him, you avoid him. He's pissed as hell because the State guys are here. He'd like nothing more than to get to you or Veronica, to push your buttons." Keith smiled. "Don't give the ass the satisfaction."

Logan smiled back. "Yes, sir. Uh, I mean, Keith."

Keith grew serious again. "I know I'm not your father -"

"You could _never_ be Aaron," Logan cut in with venom.

Keith recognized the signs. Logan was distancing himself from the man, calling him by his first name instead of his father. It was the second time he'd done it. "Every now and then, a guy needs an older guy to talk to. You ever need to talk, about anything, I'm here. And whatever you say to me, Veronica doesn't need to know about it." Keith yawned; he was fading fast. "Now, help an old man get comfortable in this damn bed before I fall asleep. I'm in enough pain without my back acting up too." Logan helped him lay back down. Before Logan walked out of the room, Keith called to him. "You take care of our girl."

Logan nodded solemnly. It was all he could do. Keith Mars had just give him responsibility for the most precious thing in his life - Veronica. Logan didn't want to disappoint him.

--- VVV

Captain Dwight Burrows continued to be amazed at the depth of the cluster-fuck he'd been handed on a silver platter. When the deputy called to let the sheriff know the two kids and the lawyer were at the hospital, Burrows had one of his officers escort them to the municipal building instead of the Sherriff's Office. He'd be damned if he'd work his investigation around the incompetence he saw there. The mayor was more than happy to lend him and his team office space. The guy was putting as much distance as possible between himself and the excuse for a Sheriff they had. Dwight couldn't blame him either.

He sat next to Veronica on the bench across from the conference room where Logan and the lawyer were waiting. He'd finished getting her statement an hour before. She'd been raised by Keith, so she answered each question succinctly and kept her emotions in check as best she could. But the cool, professional girl Dwight dealt with earlier was gone now, and he could easily read the worry tattooed across Veronica's face. He had an enlightening conversation with Keith that morning and knew why she was concerned. Logan Echolls was a time bomb, the fuse was lit and the boy was ready to blow. Even though he had less information about the case, it was more difficult to get it from him because he was enraged. When he smartly asked for a minute to compose himself, Dwight obliged. "He's doing fine, Veronica. He asked for a break and I thought it was a good idea. We'll be done soon, and then the two of you can leave."

Veronica spoke, but she never took her eyes off the door. "He shouldn't have to go through this. He had nothing to do with Lilly's death."

"I believe that, but I still need to question him." Keith asked him to do it personally as a favor, but with all the past blunders on the case, and the media whirlwind surrounding it, Dwight was inclined to handle it anyway. There would be no mistakes while he was in charge. "Can I get you another cup of coffee? We shouldn't be much longer."

Veronica was about to tell him the last thing she needed was more caffeine, she already had six cups, but Cliff opened the conference room door. "Captain, we're ready to continue," he said, giving Veronica a reassuring smile.

Dwight patted her knee. "See? Nothing to worry about, little girl. We'll be done quick as a flash." He winked at her before returning to the room.

When the door closed again, Veronica dropped her head into her hands. She wasn't sure which one of them had it worse. Logan was being forced to relive the pain of Lilly's murder with the new information that his father was responsible, but she'd had to relive the terrifying night with Aaron again. She knew Burrows was asking him about the bruises too.

It had been a rough ride in the back of Cliff's car. Logan promised her he wasn't going to press charges against Weevil. He'd said matter-of-factly the PCHer had stopped him from jumping off the bridge, so he figured they were even. When he didn't even attempt to deny the reason he'd been on the bridge in the first place, Veronica exploded. She'd punched him in the shoulder Weevil dislocated, knowing exactly how much pain she'd inflicted and not caring. Then she'd yelled at him that if he ever contemplated doing something so stupid again, she'd kill him before he got the chance to do the deed himself. He'd pulled her into his arms and apologized for scaring her.

Twenty minutes later Logan, Cliff and Burrows exited the conference room. Burrows shook Logan's hand, thanked him for his cooperation, then he reiterated to Veronica the plan to pick her up tomorrow morning to retrieve her father's files. He was going to oversee that personally too. Cliff would meet them at the hotel and they'd get everything squared away as quickly as possible. Within minutes the three were back in Cliff's car, on their way to the Neptune Grand with another police escort.

Security at the Grand was ready for their arrival. Cliff pulled around the back off the hotel and was directed to the loading area used by vendors and staff. It had a security gate that kept the reporters far away from the couple. Exiting the car at the front of the hotel would have left them exposed, even with the police present. This way, they had a measure of privacy. The manager was waiting to greet them. They bypassed the lobby, using the staff elevator to reach their suite. The manager handed Logan his car keys - Weevil had dropped-off the Xterra earlier that morning - and the room keys before he departed. Cliff briefly went over a few things with them, then he too left, and they were finally alone.

Logan had been practically vibrating since walking out of the conference room, and Veronica knew it. She sat down on the sofa, tucked her feet under her, and watched him pace like a caged animal. "What can I do for you, Logan?"

"Strip and fuck me into oblivion," he answered without thinking. Then he realized what he said and turned wide apologetic eyes to her. "God, Veronica, I didn't mean -"

"Hey, I asked." She titled her head and smiled. "But since that's not going to happen, do you have any other ideas?" She could be furious or insulted, but she decided to let it pass.

Logan dropped down beside her and clasped his hand in hers. "I didn't mean to say that. I am so sorry. I just need... I need..." It had been a rough morning, and Logan needed to expel some physical energy, sex being his preferred method. That or punching things. People. Whatever. He knew Veronica wasn't ready to have a physical relationship with him, and he didn't want their first time together to be angry anyway.

Logan responded honestly, and Veronica had to give him points for letting his guard down with her. Also, but she'd never tell him, the answer made her hormones race. Just a little. "Doesn't this place have an exercise room? Maybe they have a heavy bag you could punch instead of the wall your contemplating."

Logan had to admit it wasn't a bad idea. He ran his thumb back and forth across her palm. "Wanna come watch?"

Veronica nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yes. My hot, sweaty boyfriend punching a bag filled with sand." She straddled his lap, looping her arms loosely around his neck. "The idea makes me all tingly inside."

Logan's lips were centimeters away from hers. "We will discuss your tingles later," he said, then closed the short distance between their mouths.

Veronica got lost in the kiss and body contact. But when Logan's fingers dipped under her shirt and started climbing up her back, she pulled away, breathless. "Hands where I can see 'em, mister."

Logan stretched out his arms on both sides and continued kissing Veronica around her laughter.

---TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**LoVe Is A Strange Hotel **

Veronica sat crossed legged on the floor and watched Logan expel some of the demons that were haunting him. He mumbled a lot as he worked the heavy bag, releasing bits of his anger with every punch. By the time they made it back to the suite, Logan was exhausted, but calm, and Veronica was starving.

She pulled out the room service book and started flipping. "Too late for lunch. Early dinner?" The prices on the dinner menu were outrageous, but they hadn't eaten breakfast, and she didn't think leaving the hotel for food would be a good idea.

Logan continued to chug water as he peered over her shoulder. "NY strip, medium rare. Baked potato with scour cream. Asparagus. Crème brulee." He hesitated. "I don't suppose you're going to let me order a bottle of wine or anything harder than apple juice?"

She reached behind her and patted his cheek. "Oooo, you're so smart."

"And you're such a tight-ass," he replied, but there wasn't even a trace of irritation in his voice. If she wasn't with him, he would have tossed the room, then gotten drunk, then probably tossed the room again. Instead he'd gone to the gym and now he was going to have a decent meal. Veronica was good for him in so many ways.

Veronica twisted on the couch so she could look up at him. "I'm _not_ a tight-ass. And I'm not opposed to alcohol. I just don't see where getting drunk is going to solve anything. All your problems are still going to be here when you sober up."

Logan crouched down so he was eye level with her. There was a new edge to her voice. Something that started out a joke had turned very serious. "Are we still talking about me or did we segue way into your mother?" Veronica faced forward again and Logan sighed. "I heard she was back."

"And she's gone again." Veronica re-focused on the dinner menu in her lap. "They have French onion soup. I love French onion soup. Can I get two orders?"

"Order whatever you want, I don't care." Logan moved around to the front of the couch. "What do you mean she's gone again?"

Veronica ignored the question. "And a hot fudge sundae with extra whipped cream. I know, it's not an elite dessert like crème brulee, but there's nothing in the world a good old-fashioned hot fudge sundae can't cure."

Logan was sitting next to her now. He grabbed the menu out of her hands and threw it across the room. "It's not like you to avoid a difficult conversation, Mars. What happened with your mom?" He placed his hand on the back of her neck and she stiffened. Tense. He began massaging the muscles. "The trust thing? It's gotta go both ways, Veronica. If you can't trust me, we might as well end this now."

This was what annoyed Veronica the most about Logan. It wasn't the snarky comments. It wasn't the privileged attitude. It wasn't even his terrible temper. No, it was pointed, knowing observations. He'd summed up their fledgling relationship in one sentence. 'If you can't trust me, we might as well end this now.' Didn't he know _she_ was supposed to be the one to take the direct approach? He was really stepping on her toes. She turned so she was facing him. "The short version? I paid for my mom to go rehab. I used my college money to do it. Ever penny I had saved. Last night, I pulled a bottle of water from the fridge, and when I drank it, I found out it was vodka, not water. I called the clinic and they told me she'd checked herself out. She didn't complete the program. I confronted her, told her she had to leave. Which she did, no argument. When I talked to my dad this morning, he asked me to deposit the reward check he got for bringing Duncan home. He hadn't had time to go to the bank and he hadn't been to the office to lock it in the safe. He didn't want to leave it laying around. But when I looked for it in his bag, it wasn't there. It took me all of three seconds to realize my mom stole it."

The check they were talking about earlier. Keith had said he knew it was difficult for Veronica to do. Now Logan understood why. He was almost scared to ask. "How much?"

"Fifty thousand dollars," Veronica told him flatly as she dropped into PI mode. She needed to distance herself from what her mother did. It was the only way she could discuss it. "It's a certified check, but it's made out to Keith Mars, so unless she's picked up some high-level forgery skills I don't know about, she doesn't have many options. She could open a joint account, forge dad's name and try to deposit it, but the bank is going to wait for it to clear before they allow her access to the funds. A forged ID might work, but it would have to be a damn god. We're talking way better than what you need to get into a bar. More like the stuff I do. And it's not like 'Keith' is an ambiguous name. A woman with that name is going to raise some eyebrows, and she can't afford any suspicion. If it was me, I'd probably find a male partner. A guy with access to forged IDs, and who could walk into a bank as Keith Mars. But if I picked the wrong guy, I run the risk of him stealing what I stole, or killing me outright. People kill for less all the time. And if he didn't steal the money or kill me, I'd have to split the take with him. Thirty-seventy sounds equitable to me - it is my check - but he'll probably want a fifty-fifty split. See that's the thing when you work with..."

Veronica kept going and Logan didn't try to stop her. He'd picked up enough in the past few weeks to know this was her process; she needed to think it out. But what he heard through her analytical analysis of the situation was she was afraid her mom was going to get arrested or killed. He wouldn't be surprised if she'd already started searching for the woman again. He made a mental note to ask Keith about it.

Okay, that was strange. He'd referred to her father as Keith and was already prepared to talk to the man about a touchy family issue. It was so... unlike him. Logan tilted his head as he re-examined the petite blonde in front of him. What had Veronica done it him? He'd already decided he wasn't drinking anytime soon, at least, not the full blowout he was known for. Not with her mom being an alcoholic. And he knew he was giving up sex for the foreseeable future, and it didn't bother him as much as he thought it would. She had him working out his aggression on a heavy bag instead of some random guy's face, and it had actually felt good. Since waking up with her staring down at him, he hadn't picked up the phone to call Dick or any of his friends. He'd called Trina and some extended family earlier, but that was it. Aaron had been arrested for killing Lilly, and Logan was... smiling.

But was it really him? Or was it just her reflection off of him? "Are you a witch?"

"- could get a conviction," Veronica was in the middle of saying, when the absurd question struck her. She played it back in her mind. No, that is what he said. While she'd been talking, she hadn't been paying attention to Logan. Now that she was, she noticed the thoughtful expression on his face. He was serious. "A witch? Not that I'm aware."

Logan hadn't meant to interrupt. The question had popped out before he could stop it. But it was out, so he continued. "There is definitely a witchy quality to you," he said as he toyed with the ends of her hair.

The ridiculous conversation was exactly what Veronica needed to derail thoughts of her mom. She rested her head in her hand and concentrated on Logan as hard as he was concentrating on her. "Was that witchy or bitchy?" she asked in an attempt to light his mood.

Logan cocked his eyebrow, and took a moment to consider. "You have to admit, you can be bitchy, but I said a witchy quality. With a 'W'. I think it's possible for you to get anyone to do anything you want. Which is extremely terrifying."

It was so far from the truth, Veronica had to laugh. Oh, how she wished she could get anyone to do anything she wanted. "I've been told it's the head tilt, but I think the hair flip is more potent. If it'll make you feel better, I'll promise to use my powers only for good." Logan looked doubtful. There was something going on behind his eyes, but Veronica couldn't catch a glimpse of it. "What are you thinking?"

Logan leaned forward and kissed her. It was more than a peck, but less than an assault. He touched her tongue with his, but he didn't plunder her mouth. When he was done, he rested his forehead against hers. "If I was a good man, I'd tell you to get as far away from me as possible."

Veronica pulled back completely. She cradled Logan's face in her hands and studied him, looking deep into his eyes, hoping to catch that glimpse so she could understand it. "You're a better man than you think you are, Logan."

Logan knew he was right; Veronica was a witch. She'd find the truth in him eventually, and when she did, she wasn't going to like it. But he still had the reflection of her distorting his truth and he was going to use it to protect her before it disappeared. "I know exactly the man I am. I'm going to end up hurting you. I don't want to, but it's going to happen." He stood abruptly and put needed distance between them. He couldn't look at her while he said it. "You'd be better off with Duncan."

In a heartbeat, Veronica was standing in front of him. She put her hands on the back of his head and forced him to look down at her. "I don't want Duncan. I want you, Logan. We've already hurt each other and we've gotten this far. I can take it. I fight back now. I'm not the nice, sweet, naive teenage girl I was before Lilly died. I'm persistent and mean and I can be a complete bitch. I have serious trust issues, and it takes a long time for me to let people in." She let him go and took a step back. "I thought you saw the real me. I thought you saw I was different. But if you think I can run back to Duncan like nothing has changed, I guess I was wrong."

Veronica saw the war raging in his eyes and she held her breath. She'd lost too many people, and now that she'd figured out she wanted Logan, she'd be damned if she lose him too. If she had to fight for him, she would, but she was tired of fighting all the time.

She was searching his eyes again. Logan had never see anyone search for the truth like Veronica did. He briefly wondered what it would be like to have those eyes searching his for the rest of his life. He warned her he wasn't a good man. He hadn't been raised by a good man. Who could expect him to turn out to be one? But he'd given her a chance to escape, and she refused to take it. She was going to regret that decision, but Logan was going to hold on to her as long as he could. Starting now. He pulled her back into his arms. "I see you, Ronnie. I've always seen you. Even when I didn't want to."

Veronica snaked her arms around his waist, relief flooding through her. "I see you too, Logan. Even when you try to bury yourself, I see you." It wasn't 'I love you', but for them, it was close. A shiver ran down Veronica's spine. Logan felt it and tightened his hold on her. She laid her head on his shoulder. "Stop scaring me. If you want to fight, we'll fight, but I don't want to do... _this_ again."

Logan kissed the top her head. He realized he wasn't hundred percent sure what _this_ was. Maybe the first moment of peace he'd experienced in over a year had confused him. Or enlightened him. He wasn't sure. "Keep calling me on my crap, Veronica. You're the only one who cares enough to do it."

She couldn't stop the sarcastic comment that came out next. "Would you be willing to say that into a recording device of some kind? I may need to play it back to you at certain points in the future."

Her remarks seemed to shift the world back to it's proper plain of existence. Whatever had driven Logan to start the strange conversation faded away. "What are you talking about? Did I say something?" Veronica slapped his back. Logan leaned down and kissed her loudly on the cheek. "I thought you were going to order food?"

"I was, but then I got distracted." Veronica picked up the menu from where it landed when Logan threw it. "You know, I'm giving up a lot for you. I really want shrimp cocktail, but I'm not going to order it."

Logan started towards his bathroom and the shower he knew he needed. "What does you not ordering shrimp cocktail have to do with me? I told you, get whatever you want."

Veronica snorted as she picked up the phone. "You're allergic to shellfish. I kiss you, and you go into anaphylactic shock. There's a fun date!" She waited for someone to answer the phone. " Hello. I'd like to place a room service order for suite 4007."

Logan whistled as he headed for the shower. Veronica remembered his allergy. What more could a guy ask from his girl?

--- VVV

When Logan walked back into the living area, showered and dressed, he saw Veronica busy as usual. She was eating her soup - so nice of her to wait for him - she had her cell phone wedged between her shoulder and her ear, and she was writing notes on a legal pad. He sat down across from her, eavesdropping on her conversation as he began to eat.

"Black or grey, anything dark, but nothing that screams undercover cop."

"If you can find one."

"They towed it to the impound yard."

"Yeah, it's evidence. It's a good thing it's totaled, or I'd have to wait for them to release it before I could get it fixed."

"Believe me, it's totaled. I'm hoping the insurance adjuster gets to it this week, but my dad isn't going to be driving anytime soon, so I'm fine for awhile."

"No, this does not constitute a favor. Money will change hands."

"I'll call, I promise."

"Thanks again, Weevil. Talk to you later."

Logan arched his eyebrow as she pressed the end button on her cell phone. "You're going to have Paco find you a car? It'll probably we stolen."

Veronica narrowed her eyes. "I'll run the VIN number through the system before I buy it." Then the first thing he said hit her. "And his name is Weevil. Stop calling him Paco. He's my friend." Logan rolled his eyes. "He saved your ass last night."

And Logan knew Veronica was never going to let him forget it. "After him and the rest of the delinquents beat the crap out of me. I should have pressed charges. A fair fight would have been one-on-one, not six-on-one. It was unsportsmanlike conduct."

Veronica almost choked on the mouthful she was trying to swallow. She coughed and Logan looked worried. She waved her hand to let him know she was fine. When she had her breath again, she said, "Since when is gang fighting a sport?"

Logan shrugged off the question. "Why don't you buy a new car? You have fifty thousand dollars now."

"Mars Investigations has fifty thousand dollars, minus taxes. Besides, even after what insurance pays, a good chunk of the money is going to dad's hospital bill." Veronica slumped forward. "I can't wait to see it. We'll be lucky if we're left with ten thousand. And I'd rather use that towards a better apartment than a new car. Weevil will find me something decent."

A better apartment. Hospital bills. Taxes. Things he'd never had to deal with. Logan glanced around the hotel suite. "Do think I waste money?"

"Yes," Veronica answered a split-second later. "But you've never had to worry about money, so I think it's natural." Then she frowned at him. "Although..."

Logan's interest was peaked. "What?"

Veronica made notes on her paper as she talked. "Have Cliff talk to the DA tomorrow. If your dad gets bail, they might freeze his assets so he's less of a flight risk. And if he doesn't get bail, you'll need to talk to his lawyer, see who's going to be in control of the money. You're not eighteen, so that leaves Trina, and that's a little scary. I'm writing it all down, don't worry."

Logan blinked at her in shock. "Freeze Aaron's assets. But what about our bills?"

Veronica continued to write, not looking at him. "I'm not sure, that's why you need to talk to Cliff." She glanced up and saw the concern on his face. "Logan, don't worry about it. It'll be fine, but you need to find out what's going on. If you ask now, you won't be surprised later."

Logan chewed his steak carefully as the possible ramifications of his current situation settled around him.

--- VVV

After dinner, Wallace stopped by to check on Veronica and to drop off Back-Up. Both boys were still wary of each other, not sure how to act. Logan being a fixture in Veronica's life again rattled her best friend, and Wallace now knowing more about her than Logan did, made her boyfriend uncomfortable. To diffuse the tension, Veronica asked Wallace to go with her to walk Back-Up. The Grand had a private area for dogs, so they wouldn't be besieged by reporters. Left alone, Logan decided to check his voicemail. Veronica turned off his phone when it started ringing constantly the night before, and he hadn't bothered to turn it back on. The press hadn't gotten a hold of his number yet, which was good, so the twenty-eight messages he had were all from '09es and Aaron's business associates. The one from Aaron's lawyer actually made him laugh. The man wanted to talk to Logan about Aaron's defense. When it went to trial, Logan was positive he'd be a witness for the prosecution. But he wrote down the number just in case he needed it later. Veronica's dinner conversation had freaked him out.

Logan made only one outbound call - to Dick. "Hey, man. What's up?"

"Dude!" Dick's voice was excited, but laced with concern. He'd left Logan seven of the twenty-eight messages. "What the hell is going on? There's all this shit on tv about your dad and Lilly."

"I'm sure most of it's true." Logan hadn't turned on the tv, hadn't listened to the radio, hadn't picked up a newspaper. He didn't want to know.

"It's true?" Dick asked in surprise. He thought there had to be a mistake. "He slept with her? Killed her? Tried to kill Veronica and her dad? What the fuck, man?"

"Yeah, what the fuck." Logan wearily rested his elbows on his knees. It was good to know the vultures were on top of things. "Look, Dick, you're the only one I'm calling. I'm staying at the Grand for a while, suite 4007. Don't tell anyone else. If they ask, just... just tell I'm fine, but don't give them the suite number. I'm not exactly up for company."

Logan could almost see Dick nodding in agreement. "Sure, dude, sure. You know me, my lips are sealed." Dick was an ass, but Logan knew he could trust him. He was getting ready to end the phone call when Dick said, "There were, uh, pictures, of you and. Ronnie. Together this morning. What's the deal, Logan? I thought we were back to I-hate-Veronica-Mars. I mean, she accused _you_ of killing Lilly. And now you're like attached to her hip again? That girl is bad news, man."

"Well, she had the right family, just the wrong family member." Dick didn't laugh and Logan sighed. "This isn't Veronica's fault. Everyone's been lying, covering up stuff from the beginning, even me. Her and her dad were the only ones looking for the truth. If it wasn't for them... Just lay-off Veronica."

"Logan, you know I'll back whatever you want to do, but not everyone is like me." Dick hated this crap, but it was the way their circle worked. The rules they lived by. "People are going to say shit, and right now, you're not in a position to push back."

Logan straightened, instantly pissed. "What the hell that's suppose to mean? I already told everyone, they don't like my girlfriend, they can evaporate. That hasn't changed."

"Yeah, man, and you could get away with it when your dad was Aaron Echolls, megastar. But now, he's the guy who killed Jake Kane's daughter." Dick wasn't going to lie. Hard truths. "Dude, you're gonna get frozen. And having Ronnie on your arm isn't gonna help."

"Obviously you've already talked to people. How big a problem is it? Are you flaking on me?" Logan's inside's churned. This was the last thing he wanted to deal with right now. Stupid high school clicks.

"I'm not going anywhere. Me and Beav, we'll stick by you through anything. And Casey. He likes Ronnie anyway. She helped him with something, I think." And then Dick hesitated. "But I'm not sure about anyone else. I think they're waiting to see what Duncan does. If he's cool, everyone else will be cool."

Logan had known most of these people since he was twelve. He'd been going to school with them for five years. And now his social status rested in Duncan's hands. The one guy who had a legitimate reason to freeze him out. Perfect. "Then we'll wait to see what Duncan does."

Dick hated adding more shit onto Logan's plate. "Duncan and Meg broke up. At your party. Duncan went outside and lost it. He smashed the driver's side window of his SUV, and beat the door with a shovel or something. Meg's telling anyone who'll listen he's still in love with Ronnie. And a lot of people are listening."

"So you're telling me it's going to be a really cold summer?" Fuck! Logan grabbed a fistful of hair. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Just what he needed. Veronica said she wanted him, but if Duncan made a hard-core play for her...

"I don't know, but none of this good." Dick dropped the serious tone. "You sure you don't want company? A suite at the Grand. We could party. It'll get your mind off things."

Since Dick hadn't mentioned it yet, Logan figured he didn't know - yet. "Really not in the mood to party. Besides, Veronica is staying with me while her dad's in the hospital. If things are as bad as you say, I don't want to put her through it."

"Dude!" Dick was back to shocked excitement. "You're shacked up with the Sheriff's daughter? Do you have a death wish?"

Logan chuckled. Everyone still thought of Keith as the Sheriff. Nothing Lamb did was ever going to change that. The moronic prick. "He knows she's here. It's not like we're keeping it a secret from him. And she has her own bedroom."

Dick snorted. "Like that makes a difference."

Logan wanted to make things clear. He didn't want to be the cause of any more negative gossip where Veronica was concerned. The situation looked bad enough without people adding their own speculation. "Dick, I am _not_ sleeping with Veronica. Anyone who says different is going to talk to me directly. Got it?"

Dick shook his head. Logan was always making an ass out of himself over women. First Lilly, now Veronica. Life was much easier when Logan dated random skanks he didn't care about. "Dude, you can't beat-up the whole world. I know you want to try, but it's not possible."

--- VVV

Logan didn't mention the phone call with Dick to Veronica. There were only three weeks left of school. He was sure Aaron, and by extension he, would be the center of gossip for all of it, but he didn't care. He really did have more important things to think about. If Aaron got bail, would he try to force Logan to move back in with him? If he didn't get bail, where would Logan live? He didn't have money of his own until he turned eighteen and the inheritance from his mom kicked in. Or could Cliff get him access to the money earlier? And it wasn't that much compared to what he was used to. Could he cut himself off from Aaron's money completely? Was he ready to do that?

Then there was the problem with Duncan. Several problems, if he was being honest. Duncan was his best friend. He didn't want to lose him because of what Aaron had done. But he didn't think the Kanes would be happy about Duncan maintaining a friendship with the son of the man who killed their daughter. Not that Logan would blame them. And if Duncan was still in love with Veronica, that added another layer of complication. He didn't know why Duncan broke-up with her in the first place, his best friend had never said. Maybe Veronica knew. He should probably ask her.

"Wanna watch a movie?" Logan called over his shoulder to Veronica who was feeding Back-Up in the small kitchen.

"As soon as Back-Up's done, I'm going to bed. I didn't get much sleep last night." Weevil had woken her up at three and she hadn't dared go back to sleep with Logan trussed-up on her couch. The rest of her day had been just as crazy; there was no time for a nap. Ever since dinner, she'd been stifling back yawns. If she went to bed now, she could get in twelve solid hours of sleep. It sounded like heaven.

Logan joined her in the kitchen. For the first time, he realized how tired she looked, and he wondered... "After Weevil dropped me off, did you sleep at all?" She reluctantly shook her head. Logan sighed. He should have known. "Christ, Ronnie, go to bed already. I'll watch Back-up. You don't need to do this."

The dog was her responsibility. She wasn't going to pass him off to Logan. "He's almost done."

Logan turned her around, placed his hands on her shoulders, and walked her towards her bedroom. He promised Keith he'd take care of her and that included taking care of Back-Up. "You're about ready to pass out. Go to bed. I'll put him in with you before I crash." She looked up at him and Logan knew she was getting ready to argue. "I mean it, Veronica. Back-Up and I will be fine."

She yawned, and when Logan cocked his eyebrow letting her know the yawn only proved he was right, Veronica gave in. "Thank you. I am really tired." She reached up and kissed him.

Logan wanted to deepen the kiss, but he knew it wasn't the right time. "Good night, Ronnie." Still, he couldn't stop himself from swatting her butt as she passed him into the room. Veronica shot him a death-glare as she closed the door in his face.

Forty-five minutes later, Keanu Reeves was deciding between the blue pill and the red pill, when Logan got the distinct impression he was being watched. He glanced over and saw Veronica fiddling with the edge of her tank top pyjamas. She looked very unsure of herself, and the hair on the back of Logan's neck stood up. "What's wrong?"

Veronica hated being this girl - had worked so hard to _not_ be this girl. "Every time I close my eyes..." She hesitated, biting her bottom lip.

Logan immediately turned off the tv. "Nightmares?" he asked sympathetically as he walked towards her.

Veronica nodded, and when he opened his arms, she rushed into them. "I'm trapped in the box, and the fire... I can't get out..." She buried her head in Logan's shoulder as tears began to fall. She'd forced herself to stay in bed as long as she could, but the images kept coming. She could still smell the smoke, feel the heat from the flames. She was once again screaming for her dad. Only this time, he wasn't there to save her. "Would you stay with me? Please?"

She was shaking, and crying, and her voice was so not the voice of Veronica. It took Logan seconds to decide the promise he made to protect her outweighed the promise to sleep in another room. "Of course. Come on, let's get you back to bed."

Logan held the covers as Veronica slid back under the sheets. He leaned over and dropped a kiss on her forehead, while tucking the blanket around her. Back-Up came trotting in behind them. He jumped on the bed, circled a few times, and laid down at her feet. Veronica already felt better. She had Logan and Back-up; she wasn't alone. She petted the dog and watched Logan take of his shoes, when a random thought struck her. "You need clothes."

Logan was grateful for the clothes Wallace bought, but it was two shirts, two pair of boxers and a pair of jeans, which would only last him one more day. Veronica had a point. "We'll go shopping tomorrow," he said as he reached behind him and grabbed a fistful of material.

As he pulled the shirt over his head, Veronica suppressed a groan. It was such a male way of getting undressed and it was incredibly sexy. And when it was over, it left Logan shirtless, his jeans riding low on his hips. Oh, she might be in trouble. She might not have thought this through. "You have a closet full of clothes. I know you don't want to go home, so make me a list of what you need. I'll go to the house and get it."

"I don't want you going there alone, and I'm not going with you. Shopping trip tomorrow." He shucked off his jeans, leaving him in the boxers. Logan knew she wasn't wearing a bra, and he wondered if she was wearing underwear either, but he quickly pushed the thought aside. He was in enough trouble without thinking of her naked under those pyjamas. He still had the sweat pants she'd loaned him that morning and he thought about wearing them to bed, anything to put another layer of material between them. But he'd worn them while getting his aggression out on the heavy bag, so they were a dirty mess. Which meant he was left with a thin pair of boxes and his self-control as the only barriers between him and what he _really_ wanted to do to her.

"Don't be ridiculous, Logan." Veronica fluffed her pillows with more force than necessary, and laid down giving him her back. She'd lost count of the number of times she'd seen Logan in swimming trunks and board shorts, but this was a completely different situation. "I'll be fine. Once I'm inside the gates, nothing's going to happen. And I can bulldoze over reporters in that yellow monster you drive."

Logan sent up a silent prayer of help to whoever might be listening as he turned off the bedroom light. At least the argument had distracted her from her nightmares, so she wasn't weepy and clingy anymore. She sounded like Veronica again. And Veronica wouldn't let him get away with anything. He crawled into bed next to her. "Like I'm going to let you drive my car." He pressed the front of his body flush against her back, threw his arm around her waist, anchoring her to him. She was scared, he reasoned with himself, he was only trying to make her feel safe.

Veronica never slept next to a boy before, not consciously, and she waited for her body to involuntarily tense at the contact, but it didn't. Just the opposite in fact. She molded herself against him. And when she felt him semi-erect against her butt, she smiled, but only because she knew he couldn't see it. "My dad taught me how to drive. Defensive police training. I can out-drive you any day of the week."

"That sounds like a challenge." Logan nudged her hair aside with his nose and dropped kisses on the back of her neck. Soft, Veronica was so soft. And she smelled like vanilla and lavender. He was never going to forget that as long as he lived. "There's an empty office building over on Market Street with a huge parking lot. When you get a car, we'll go out there and see who's the better driver. I'm going to kick your ass, Mars."

"Oooo, big words from the pampered rich boy." Logan's hand was resting on her hip, curled under her. _He has great hands_, Veronica thought. She'd never really noticed before. Strong, with long, lean fingers. And they were inches away from - Oh god, this was bad. "Will there be a bet involved in this competition? Money? Jewels? German bearer bonds?"

Logan's voice dropped to a husky whisper. "We'll decide the terms of the bet later. Just know, I wouldn't bet anything you didn't want to lose. I intended to collect when I win." _Bet your body_, he thought. _Please, god, bet with your body_.

If he kept talking in that voice, she was going to give him what he wanted right now. "You're such an arrogant ass," she said. Logan laughed against her skin, his hot breath practically singeing her neck, and every nerve ending Veronica had suddenly came alive. She couldn't stop the half groan - half moan that escaped from her throat as she said his name.

Logan's cock jumped at the sound of her voice. The rest of his body tightened, coiled. He buried his face in her hair. "Ronnie, don't. I'm doing my best here, but please _don't_ say my name like that." If he pushed, one little touch, he knew he could have her. But this wasn't they way it was supposed to be. Not between them. Not after the roller-coaster ride they'd been on the past twenty-four hours. "Your dad was right," Logan mumbled. "I have no _business_ being in this room with you."

Her father. There was a sobering thought. Veronica giggled. "He's going to look at us tomorrow and know we did something we weren't suppose to do." That's what she needed. Her dad. She just had to think about her dad. Her over-protective, gun wielding, all-knowing dad.

Logan shuttered behind her. "I'm dead," he said flatly. The man was recovering in a hospital, but Logan had no problem imagining Keith Mars jumping out of his bed and strangling him with the IV tube. The first promise Logan made with ever intention of actually keeping, and he'd blown it.

The tension was broken now, and Veronica snuggled back against Logan, relaxed once again. "I'll protect you from the big, bad wolf. I promise." Neither said another word, and eventually they fell asleep.

---TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**I Woke Up In LoVe This Morning **

Veronica glanced at Logan sitting next to Wallace in the far corner of her father's hospital room, then quickly turned away again before their eyes made contact. She did her best to re-focus on the conversation going on between her dad and Alicia, but it was difficult. The memory of how she woke-up that morning kept repeating through her mind.

She'd asked for a seven-thirty wake-up call, but her eyes fluttered open on their own long before the phone rang. Back-Up was still laying at her feet, and Logan was still pressed against her back, and she'd slept better than she'd thought possible given how the evening had started. As she slowly adjusted to the soft morning light pouring in through the curtains, she realized Logan's hand wasn't where it should be. At some point in the night he'd pushed up her tank top, and he was cupping the underside of her breast, his thumb grazing the side.

She knew he was still asleep; she could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest behind her. And she knew she should move his hand before he woke-up. But the problem was, Veronica sorta liked his hand where it was.

Duncan had copped a feel before. They'd done some petting; there'd been some touching. Not as much as he would have liked, she was sure. It was the typical high school game of 'how far will she let me go?' Groping in the back of a car or in a corner at some party while they made out. But this was different. This was Logan's hand warm against her. Possessive without being intrusive. Not grabby, but gentle. It felt... natural. And she wasn't prepared for that.

When she thought she'd been raped, she'd put up a very thick wall between herself and sex. She'd read all the literature and knew rape was about power, not sex, but like most women, she found it difficult to separate the two wholly in her mind. Now that she knew the truth about the night of Shelley's party, her mind was breaking things down differently. She still felt violated, but it wasn't a constant undertone in her thoughts anymore. She knew she'd been with a boy who loved her and who she loved, and that made it a little easier to accept. But she'd waited to have sex, wanted it to be special, and the memory of it had been stripped away by GHB and alcohol. That part still made her angry. She wasn't a virgin, but she _was_ a virgin. She'd been intimate with someone, but she would never remember it.

The black hole in her consciousness also raised feeling of insecurity. And it was the insecure questions of an inexperienced girl that plagued her the most. Had she liked it? Had _he_ liked it? Was she any good? Did she do anything... wrong? Those were things that occupied her mind now.

So she really wasn't prepared for how... _right_ Logan's hand felt against her. There was no question, no second-guessing. Anger and insecurity were gone. She _liked_ Logan's hand where it was. For the first time in over a year, she had an experienced opinion about something related to her body and sex. Coupled with what almost happened before they fell asleep, she was almost giddy.

She knew she was going to have sex with Logan eventually. If she was being honest, she probably made that decision about a week into their new relationship. Shelley's party and Lilly's murder might have detoured the natural progression of things, but she knew it was going to happen. And she was determined her first time with Logan would be everything she'd always dreamed her first time to be. Which didn't include talking to the police and her father immediately after they were done.

So she slipped out of bed, making sure not to wake Logan, and took Back-Up for a walk. When she returned to the suite, Logan was in the shower. They both dressed and waited for Cliff and Captain Burrows to arrive. Logan didn't mention the night before and Veronica wasn't going to tell him about that morning. But for the rest of the day, she caught herself looking at him and remembering. Thinking about the possibilities.

Of course, sitting next to her father wasn't the best place to do that. Veronica tried once again to reign in her wayward thoughts. Finally, she caught the tail end of what her dad was saying. "What reward?"

"The reward from the hot tip line." Keith looked at puzzled. They'd been talking about it for the past ten minutes. "The hundred-thousand dollars. Weren't you paying attention?"

Veronica sheepishly smiled at him. "Sorry, my mind was wandering. Tell me again," she said, determined to stay focused.

Alicia beamed down at Keith, her pride in him evident. "The mayor has decided to award your father the original reward money for information about Lilly Kane's death. He stopped by this morning personally to deliver the news."

"Oh my god!" Veronica's jaw dropped as she leaned over to hug her father. "I mean... oh my god!"

Keith tightened his arms around her. "I know, sweetheart. Suddenly the Mars family is rolling in money! We can put a down payment on a house and the rest we'll put into your college fund. With the money you have saved already, we can pay for Stanford." He was going to give Veronica her dream. After everything she'd lost, he was going to give her back a home and a future.

Her smile faltered for a second as she thought about the money she'd spent on her mother. She knew she'd have to tell her dad eventually, but not now. "This is incredible, but why is the mayor doing it? What's his angle?"

Wallace laughed from behind her. "Always suspicious. Can't you just be happy about it?"

"I thought you knew her better than that," Logan added sarcastically. "Everything's a conspiracy to Veronica Mars."

Alicia furrowed her eyebrows at the boys, then at Veronica. For a young girl, she had such a pessimistic view of the world. "Maybe he's doing it because it's the right thing to do. Why do you insist on seeing it as something else?"

Veronica stopped herself from rolling her eyes. She liked Alicia, she did, but the woman was too idealistic. How could she live in Neptune and still be trusting of anyone's motives? "No one attached to this case has done anything _right_ from the beginning. I seriously doubt our mayor has suddenly developed altruistic intentions. Did he bring the check with him? No. Let me guess, he wants to present it to dad when he gets out of the hospital. A huge media event where his generosity can be captured on film." This time she did roll her eyes. "There must be some political advantage in it for him. Why's he doing it, dad?"

Keith lovingly patted her cheek. "That's my girl." For better or worse, she'd learned to be suspicious of people's motives. Especially in this town. "Unfortunately, I think Veronica's right, Alicia. This could turn into a political nightmare for him. Anyone who had a prior involvement in the case is going to be under heavy scrutiny. He was at the forefront of the movement to get me out of office, and Aaron has always been one of his supporters. I'm sure the term cover-up is going to be thrown around plenty. Giving me the reward is a subtle way of saying he never considered the case closed. Like he was waiting for someone to find the truth, to come forward. He's been Mayor of Neptune for over ten years. He's good at the political games."

"Do you think there was a cover-up?" Logan asked solemnly from his seat. "Do you think the mayor was involved? Or Lamb? How many people conspired to keep Aaron out of jail?" Logan knew he'd helped. He'd so easily accepted Kuntz as Lilly's killer. Had accused Veronica of betraying them all by siding with her father, when they'd been the only ones fighting to find the truth.

"The only cover-up that happened started and ended in the Kane household. Jake and Celeste were trying to protect Duncan." For Keith and Veronica, Aaron being arrested for Lilly's murder put an end to a yearlong search for the truth. For Logan, it was only the beginning. Keith knew the boy had questions, some which would never be answered. "I don't agree with what they did, but part of me can understand it. I'm a parent too. You do everything you can to protect your children. Sometimes you make mistakes. I'm sure Jake's beating himself up right now, but put in the same situation, I doubt he'd do anything differently."

Alicia was the only one in the room who didn't completely understand what Keith was referring to. She wondered what the Kane's son had to do with what happened to their daughter. She glanced at Wallace, hoping to find another confused soul, and realized even he knew what Keith was talking about. Which wasn't too surprising; Veronica must have told him. Alicia could only handle so much Mars family cryptic conversation. It was like being around people talking in a language that sounded familiar, but you could only understand a phrase or two as you listened. Irritating and frustrating. She leaned over and kissed Keith's cheek. "Wallace and I are going to go, but I'll be back tomorrow after work. Do you need anything?" she asked as she stood.

"If you could slip a hoagie passed Nurse Ratchet out there, I'd appreciate it." Keith smiled up at her. "I'm already sick of hospital food. Kids, give me an Alicia a minute."

Veronica, Wallace and Logan walked out of the room. "They're playing bingo, right?" Wallace said.

"Yes, bingo," Veronica assured him. Logan looked confused; she patted his arm. "I'll explain later."

Then she smiled sweetly at Wallace, but before she could open her mouth again, he said, "Do me a favor?"

Logan's snort of laughter earned him a dirty look from his girlfriend. He held up his hands in self-defense. "Hey, I'm not the one who nailed you." He looked at Wallace, new respect in his eyes. "That was pretty good. You even got the inflection right."

Wallace puffed out his chest. "What can I say? I'm the man."

Veronica crossed her arms in front of her, annoyed at both of them. "If you two are finished making fun of me..." She softened her expression. "Am I that predictable?"

"Don't feel too bad. I know you want something, but I have no idea what it is. You're only predictable to a certain point." Wallace made a show of planting his feet on the floor, bracing himself. "Hit me with it."

Veronica chuckled and lightly slapped his shoulder. "I just want some company, that's all." She kept her eyes on Wallace, ignoring Logan completely. "Someone needs clothes. And I volunteered to go to his house to get them, but he doesn't want me to go. If you go with me, he might stop fighting me about it."

The last thing Wallace wanted to do was take Logan's side over his best friend's, but he thought the guy was right. "I heard the place is crawling with reporters. There are news vans permanently parked outside the gates. You don't want to go there, Veronica."

Logan smirked as he relaxed against the wall. "Wallace doesn't want you to go, and I'm not giving you the code to the security gate. Face it, Ronnie, you're not going to win this argument. We'll go shopping after we leave here."

"Like I need a code," Veronica tissed. One of these days, he'd learn to stop underestimating her. "Logan, I'm going to do this. If Wallace won't go with me, I'll just call Weevil. I have a plan. I'm not going to drive up to the front gate, like chum in the water. Would you trust me, please?"

Logan clenched and unclenched his jaw. There was that damn trust word again. And it was obvious her mind was set. He knew he should go himself; he was being childish. But to him it wasn't just a house. It was a symbol of everything horrible in his life. It was every beating he ever endured. It was every fight his parents ever had. It was his mother's drunken oblivion. It was his father's torrid affairs. And now the thought of walking in there, knowing Lilly had slept with Aaron not ten yards away. Knowing one stupid mistake led to her death. No, he couldn't be in that house. "Can you go with her, Wallace?"

Wallace recognized the signs of determination too. The edge to her voice, her shoulders squared, ready to fight. Better him going with her than Weevil. The more time Veronica spent around the biker, the more ideas he knew the guy was getting about her. "I wanna hear about the plan. I'd like to know what I'm getting into before I agree."

Veronica huffed, but proceeded to tell them both about her plan to break into Logan's house. Logan was forgetting a few things. Veronica _did_ know the security code for the house and once she was inside, all she had to do was press a button to open the front gate. They'd take her father's car. She'd grabbed the extra set of keys from the office. They'd park at the back of the estate where she would climb the fence. There was one section covered by trees that wasn't easily seen from the street. She knew she would set off the silent alarm, but she was sure she could make it to the house in time to reset it before the police were notified. Once the front gate was open, Wallace could drive in. After she was done packing, she'd lay down in the back of her dad's car with a blanket thrown over her, and Wallace could drive right back out. The reporters wouldn't look twice at the young back man coming-and-going from the Echoll's house. They'd probably think he was a deliver guy. It was simple really.

"Yeah, you just want company." Wallace shook his head, but agreed to go. When they were done at the hospital, Veronica would call him and he'd meet her at the Grand.

When Wallace and his mom left, Veronica and Logan went back into Keith's room, but Logan silently sulked through the rest of the visit. At one point his cell rang. He looked at the number, frowned, then said, "I need to take this." He was out of the room before Veronica could ask him who it was.

She was staring at the door when Keith asked, "How's he doing?"

Veronica swung her head around. "Better than I expected. He's mad at me right now." Keith cocked an eyebrow, waiting for more details. Veronica sighed heavily. "It's so stupid, dad. He needs clothes! He doesn't have any. Instead of going to his house to get his things, he wants to buy new, which is a complete waste of money. We've been arguing about it since last night."

Keith nodded in understanding. "He doesn't want to go back to the house."

"And I don't blame him; the place is filled with horrible memories." Veronica never understood how the Kanes continued to live in their house. Lilly'd been killed out by the pool, for christsake! She couldn't deny Logan his feelings about his house. "But he doesn't have to go. I'm going. I'm taking Wallace," she added quickly before her father could argue, "and I know how to avoid the reporters, but he's still mad at me."

It was an argument the kids would work out on their own. Keith wasn't worried about it. "How are you doing, honey? How are you _really_ doing? You're taking care of Logan, I can see that, but are you taking care of yourself?"

"Logan and I are taking care of each other," Veronica said, but there was sadness in her voice.

"Come here." Keith patted the space next to him. Mindful of his IV and his injuries, Veronica carefully laid down next to her dad. Keith wrapped his good arm around her. "Now, tell your old man what's bothering you."

Veronica quietly played with the covers for several minute, through which her father patiently waited. Finally she spoke. "Last night, every time I closed my eyes, I was going through it again." Keith squeezed her arm encouragingly. "I was on fire and I kept calling for you, but you weren't there to save me." She wiped away a few tears. "I opened my eyes and I knew where I was, knew I was safe. But then I'd close them again, and..."

Keith knew the experience wasn't something Veronica would easily put behind her. And he wasn't sure what he could say to help. Hopefully time would work it's magic and the fear would lessen. "You look like you slept though."

"Logan stayed with me. He's the only reason I got any sleep." Veronica thought the honest answer was the best. And she wasn't ashamed to admit what happened. Well, most of it. "As long as I knew he was there beside me, I could close my eyes, and the nightmare didn't come back. I guess I... I just needed someone near me. I couldn't be alone."

Keith should be conflicted right now; he expected it. But the twist of emotions didn't come. Yes, he should be anger at them for sleeping in the same bed. The one thing Logan promised him wouldn't happen. But there was still a tinge of fear in Veronica's voice, and Keith could only imagine how scared she'd been reliving the events of that night over-and-over again. His little girl had needed comfort and Logan had provided it. No, he wasn't angry, but he was concerned. "Veronica, sometimes when people go through a traumatic experience together, they develop feelings for each other based on the experience. And when life settles back into a familiar routine, they realize the attachment isn't real."

Veronica gazed up at him. "Pop psychology?" She pushed herself up on her elbow. "I expect better from you."

Keith motioned for her to lay back down. "Well, I don't know what to think, honey. For a long time, a very long time, all I knew was Logan was on your hit list. He was making your life hell at school. Then I found out from Don Lamb of all people, that you and Logan are dating. I find this out the same day we discover evidence linking him to Lilly's murder. And now, suddenly, you're living in a hotel suite with him. I think I've been extremely tolerant, but I'd like a little background information."

Veronica chuckled against her father's chest. Oh, he'd been more than tolerant. He'd been the absolute antithesis of her usual parental figure. And he hadn't mentioned killing Logan once. Maybe he deserved some information. "It started two months ago. Logan thought... he thought his mom was still alive. He asked me to find her. He's finally accepted that she jumped, but he needed... more time. I guess, the time we spent together, it was a turning point for us. Slowly moving away from enemies and back to being friends. Then a few weeks ago, we started dating. We didn't tell anyone. We weren't sure what was going on between us, and Duncan was missing. We wanted to tell him before anyone else found out. Then we fought about some things." Veronica had no intention of telling her father about Shelley's party. "I... I was reluctant to trust him. But Logan let me work it out on my own and we were okay. Then I found out he'd come back the day of Lilly's murder, and things deteriorated again." Was it only days ago they'd stood on the beach yelling at each other?

"You two have been dating for almost a month?" Some PI he was. Keith thought Veronica was dating Leo this whole time. What else didn't he know about his daughter's life?

"Close." Well, they'd been circling each other for almost a month. Maybe even longer, if Veronica really thought about it. "Every time I think he's the bad guy, I find out later he isn't. All I want now is a chance to see... to see if we have a chance. So I'm trying to be less judgmental and he's trying to be less of an ass. That's where we are." She pushed away from her dad again. "He's a good person, dad, but he's been through a lot."

"We all have, Veronica." Keith touched her cheek, and wished for the millionth time he could take away the past year of her life. "I remember what he was like before Lilly's death too. He wasn't a bad kid. A little obnoxious, but not bad. But he's at a very dangerous point in his life, honey. This thing with his father, it could push him over the edge. I don't want you hurt if he makes bad decisions based on his anger."

"I know. That's why I think he needs me. Needs us. He needs people he can count on." Veronica sat up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. "He needs to know he's not going through this alone. I don't want to lose him, dad. Not the boyfriend, but the person. I don't want Logan to lose himself. He can be caring, and sweet, and amazingly thoughtful. He's protective, and loyal, and funny, and even goofy sometimes. I don't want all of that fading away under layers of anger and pain. It would be such a waste."

Keith could already see the signs of blossoming love in Veronica. It scared him, the way it scares all fathers. He only hoped Logan could live up to his daughter's expectations. "You can only do so much for him, Veronica. When it comes down to it, the decision is Logan's to make."

---TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**LoVe Is Stronger Than Death**

Veronica landed on the well-manicured lawn with less grace than she intended. "You alright there, superstar?" Wallace managed to ask around his laughter from the other side of the fence.

She was already in a foul mood, courtesy of Logan. And Wallace hadn't helped. On the way over, he'd taken the opportunity to grill her about Logan and their 'relationship'. Oh, yes, it had been fun. Then she'd caught her foot on the top of the fence and bounced on her sore hip when she hit the ground. Veronica wanted to flip-off her best friend, instead she game him two thumbs up and a tight smile. "Just peachy. I'll call you when I get inside." She muttered to herself as she made her way towards the house and the silent alarm, wondering again why she was even bothering.

It wasn't like Logan was grateful. He started bitching the moment they left the hospital. He kept grumbling about going back to the house. She reminded him, several times, that _he_ wasn't the one going. Then he brought up the idea of shopping again. She told him if he was interested in keeping a low profile, the last thing they needed to do was spend time in a mall where they'd be exposed to not only the paparazzi, but the public at large. She didn't want a mob of crazed Aaron Echoll's fans chasing after her. Logan didn't have a comeback for that, so instead he'd decided to sulk. She was more than ready to leave when Wallace arrived.

They'd be in the house an hour, tops. Then she'd be back at the hotel, Logan would have clothes, and the entire incident would be over, with no one the wiser. He was worrying over nothing.

But as she rounded the front corner of the house, Veronica realized she might have been a tad too optimistic. Trina Echolls stood in the open doorway, a cocktail in her hand and a scowl on her face. _I'm screwed_, Veronica thought.

Trina's disapproving gaze slowly swept over Veronica, from the top of her head to the tip of her boots and back again. "I should have known," was all she said before walking back inside.

Veronica limped in after her and reset the alarm, waiting for the fast-blinking red lights to return to a steady green. She brushed the stray dirt and grass from her clothes and hair - she had to admit she was a mess - before following Trina deeper into the house. "I know this looks strange, but I trying to avoid -"

"Don't care," Trina said simply, her voice floating over her shoulder as she vaguely waved her hand, like she was shooing away a pest.

_Oh, goody_, _Trina's in 'a mood'_. Veronica took a deep breath, determined to be nice, and got a nose full of... "Is something burning?"

"Blow torch," Trina answered flatly. "The police used it to open dad's safe." She stirred the cocktail with her finger, then brought the finger to her mouth to taste the liquid. She frowned and headed towards the bar. "They were here when I arrived." She poured several more healthy shots of vodka into her glass as she pointed to a piece of paper laying on the counter. "They gave me that and made me wait outside until they were done. Ten hours on a plane, and then I can't even get inside my own house." She sipped the cocktail and smiled, the improved drink having also improved her disposition. "Do you want one? It's blueberry Stoli and sparkling lemonade. A friend introduced me to it. Fabulous!"

"No thanks. I'm good." Veronica read over the search warrant in her hands. It was fairly all encompassing. She was surprised a judge signed off on it, and on a Sunday to boot. Her dad was right; everyone was covering their ass. What didn't surprise her was the fact Aaron had a safe, probably one no one else knew about. She wondered how they found it and what was in it. She put the warrant back on the counter. "We weren't expecting you back until later today." At least, Veronica wasn't. But she never did ask Logan who phoned him at the hospital. If he knew Trina was home, knew Trina could open the gate for her, and never said a word, Veronica was going to strangle him.

"I caught an earlier flight," Trina explained. Then without warning, she poked the bruise over Veronica's eye.

"Ow!" Veronica flinched as her hand shot up to protect the black-and-blue mark. "Trina!"

Trina frowned, but not out of sympathy. "Logan told me you hit your head on the steering wheel. No airbags, huh?" She continued to study the nasty bruise. "If you insist on chasing criminals, Veronica, you really need to get a safer car." It wasn't that Trina was mean or oblivious to what happened, she just... wanted to distance herself from it. She liked to stay as uninvolved as possible. Everyone had their own way of coping, and that was hers.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the tip." She liked Logan's sister, mostly, but she could never understand Trina's thought process. Aaron tried to kill her, but the reason she was banged up was because her car didn't have airbags? Trina was another incentive to getting out of the house as quickly as possible. "My friend Wallace is waiting for me to let him in. Is that okay?"

Trina sat down on the cream colored sofa, waving her empty hand in the air again. "Me casa es su casa."

Veronica called Wallace and told him it was safe to drive-up. Once she buzzed him in the gate, she walked back into the living area. Trina was still sitting on the sofa, drinking her cocktail, flipping through a magazine, acting like nothing out of the ordinary was going on. Coping mechanism or not, it was a bit unnerving. "Do you want to know why I'm here?"

"I assumed Logan sent you. He made such a big deal on the phone yesterday about not stepping foot in this house again." Trina took a sip of her cocktail. "I'm not sure how he thinks he's going to pull that off. When dad gets bail, he's going to want Logan home. And little brother isn't eighteen yet. He's not going to have a choice." Another sip. "Who does he think is paying for that lovely hotel suite at the Grand? Logan bitches about me spending daddy's money, but I don't remember him ever turning it down." And another. "Dad will cancel the credit card and then the hotel will kick Logan out. That is how it works, right?" She arched her eyebrow meaningfully at Veronica as she took another sip.

Wow! She was really going through that drink! Actually Veronica reported Lynne's credit card stolen, that's why Trina was kicked out of the Regent, but the same principle did apply. "He can stay with friends," Veronica said confidently. But what she thought was, _He'll stay with me and dad_. _I'm not making him come back here_.

Trina laughed, but there was no humor behind it. "Friends? You mean those losers who fawn over the movie star's son. No, I don't think their parents are going to throw the doors wide open for the son of the accused murderer." She eyed Veronica over the rim of her almost empty glass. "But I suppose you were referring to you. It's sweet and all, but really, Logan living in a dingy little apartment? I don't see it."

Veronica opened her mouth to defend her 'dingy little apartment' when she heard Wallace's voice behind her. "She's right here, man. Hold on a second." He held out his cell phone and smirked at her. "Your boyfriend's worried about you."

Veronica took the phone, and pushed her anger aside. Logan didn't need to know Trina was getting to her. "Hey, Logan," she said brightly.

"Don't 'hey' me!" Logan yelled, forcing Veronica to pull the phone away from her ear. "I've been trying to call you for fifteen minutes! Why weren't you answering?"

Veronica patted her left jean pocket; it was empty. "It must have slipped out when I fell," she said to herself. Her cell phone was on the lawn somewhere, which meant she needed to look for it before she left. Perfect.

"When you fell? Fell where? Are you alright?" Logan asked in rapid succession, getting more agitated with each question. "I _knew_ this was a bad idea!"

Veronica winced at the verbal slip-up. Damn! She hadn't meant to say that out loud. This was the type of mistake she made when she was getting attacked from all sides. "I'm fine, Logan. I took a little tumble on the grass and I lost my phone, but it's nothing to worry about. Wallace and I are both inside now. The hard parts over."

Logan was silent for a moment and Veronica could picture him pacing the suite. Then in a slightly less angry tone he said, "I don't like you wandering around. There are too many reporters looking for you. Too many things could happen."

There was genuine concern in his voice, and it made Veronica smile. He was a psychotic jackass, but he was a caring psychotic jackass. "I'll be careful, I promise." Wallace subtlety pointed behind her. Veronica whipped around and saw Trina back at the bar. She almost forgot. "Trina's home. Do you want to talk to her?"

"Do I have a choice?" Logan snarked back. Veronica bit her lip to contain her laughter. "I'll call back on the house phone." And then all traces of anger left his voice. "Hurry up, Ronnie. I miss you."

Veronica's smile widened. She wouldn't say it back, not with Wallace standing in front of her, but even though Logan was being a pain, she missed him too. She was in soooo much trouble. "I'll be back soon. Bye." She pushed end, then gave Wallace his phone. "Thanks."

Wallace pocketed the cell. "Man, he was freaked! I think he was getting ready to call out the Marines." Earlier in the car, Veronica did the best she could to explain that the Logan Wallace knew, the one who smashed her headlights with a tire iron, wasn't the Logan she'd grown-up with. That just as Lilly's death had changed her, it had changed him too. She assured him there was more to Logan than the smart-ass remarks and the cocky attitude. That beneath it all was a good person and she trusted him. She used her dad to back-up her claim. Keith Mars wouldn't let his little girl stay with the boy if he thought there was a problem. Veronica didn't expect Wallace to take it all on faith, but she did ask him to give Logan a chance. Wallace trusted both her and her dad's opinion, so he agreed. Logan didn't know it, but the honest-to-god freak-out he had because he thought Veronica was in trouble, helped his case.

Veronica rocked back on her heels, her hands clasped behind her back, still smiling. "See? I told you he wasn't all bad," she teased, reading Wallace's mind. He shrugged, but didn't comment. The phone rang and she called out, "Trina! That's probably Logan." Then she grabbed her best friend and drug him towards the stairs. "Let's make this quick."

Veronica put Wallace to work disconnecting the PlayStation and gathering all the video games. Logan hadn't asked for it, but Veronica thought he'd appreciate having it. She riffled through the bathroom and closet, getting everything else. She found Logan's luggage and over-packed each piece. She also snatched his schoolbooks, his laptop and a few other personal items. They were done in under half an hour. Wallace helped her drag the suitcases downstairs, complaining the entire time. "No one needs this many clothes, especially not a guy. He didn't even ask for most of this stuff."

"I don't want to come back," Veronica said honestly. One trip to the Echoll's homestead was enough for her. And if Aaron was released on bail, there was no way she was stepping foot back in the house. Not the Logan would let her. Or her dad. Or Wallace. Or anyone else with an active brain. If Logan was missing anything after this, he _would _have to go buy it.

Trina was waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs, her glass full once again. She, of course, didn't offer to help them with the luggage. Instead she stood there smirking. "He'll be bringing it all back by the end of the week," she taunted. "I told you; he won't have a choice."

That was it. Veronica had had enough. She released the large suitcase, letting it tumble down the stairs. Trina jumped out of the way to avoid being hit, splashing liquid all over herself and the floor. She shot Veronica a dirty look, which Veronica ignored. She didn't care if Trina was pissed. She was done being nice. "If Logan doesn't want to come back, he doesn't have to. In fact, we're going to do everything we can to make sure of it. So you keep drinking and don't worry about him. Not that I think you actually worry about him."

"Logan doesn't want me worrying about him," Trina snapped, as she examined the spots on her silk blouse. "He doesn't want anybody worrying about him. He _despises_ anyone who offers him pity. Haven't you learned that yet?"

"There's a difference between pity and basic human compassion." Veronica stalked down the stairs, fire in her eyes. "He just found out your father killed his girlfriend. Maybe you could show a little concern. You haven't even asked me how he's doing!"

"Oh, Logan's fine," Trina scoffed, then downed the rest of her drink in one gulp. "I just talked to him. Besides, he got over Lilly's death a long time ago. It's not like it happened yesterday," she finished flippantly.

_This is what he grew-up around_, Veronica thought in shock. _This is his family. No wonder he acts like he does. I'm surprised he doesn't act worse! _

Veronica continued to stare silently. Trina matched her gaze for several minutes, and then she swung her arms out in a dramatic gesture. "I'm sorry, alright? I'm sorry about what happened to you. And to your dad. I _am_. And if Logan really needs me, I'll be there for him. He knows that. But don't expect me to get worked up about Lilly Kane's death. I didn't do that a year ago." Trina absently ran one hand through her hair and twirled her empty glass by the stem with the other, her cavalier actions mirroring her words. "I'm not saying I wanted the girl dead, but I can't say that I care that she is. Logan's better off without her. Lilly was a bitch. She was always cheating on him. And she thought she could get away with anything. All she had to do was shake her ass, or flash her tits, or spread her legs."

Veronica heard Wallace let out a low whistle. Yes, they had just crossed into dangerous territory. Nobody talked about Lilly like that. "And she was different than you, how exactly?" Veronica asked smartly.

Trina's eyes widened in surprise, then she tipped her glass in mock-salute. "Nicely done, Veronica. You _have _changed. I wondered what my little brother sees in you. He does like 'em... feisty." She casually crossed her arms in front of her, but her eyes flickered to the audience of one watching them, and her next words held veiled meaning. "If what Logan's says is true, Lilly must have known. He could only hide so much. So she knew what she was getting into when she started sleeping with dad. And she knew what could happen when she took those tapes."

Trina was talking about the abuse, of course. One of many things in all of this Veronica had a hard time wrapping her mind around. Yes, Lilly must have known. The bruises currently on Logan's body came from Weevil, but the scars on his back weren't new. There was no way Lilly slept with him for over a year without seeing them. And she had to have known Aaron put them there. But then Veronica was sure Trina knew too, no matter how much she tried to deny it. And Lynne, Logan's own mother, how could she not have known? But no one stopped it. No one stepped in and protected Logan. It made Veronica nauseous. And it was another reason Aaron was never getting close to Logan again.

But she wasn't going to discuss all that with Trina, not with Wallace standing three feet away. Instead she considered the rest of what Trina said, the PI in her connecting the clues. "Did you know they were sleeping together?" Trina's face remained impassive and Veronica took her silence as confirmation. "You _knew_! You knew and you never said anything! You never told Logan?"

"Logan wouldn't have listened to me, not about his precious Lilly." Trina was officially bored with the entire conversation. "Face it, Veronica. Lilly liked to live dangerously, and it finally caught up with her. End of story."

For Lilly, the affair was probably nothing more than another thing to upset Celeste. Another rule she felt compelled to break. Having sex with her boyfriend's father - how taboo. She might have lived dangerously, or on the edge of dangerous, but she didn't deserve to die for it. "No matter what you think about Lilly, Logan loved her. Shouldn't that matter?" Trina didn't answer. She walked away, probably to get another drink.

---TBC

Thank you for the positive reviews!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**You Don't LoVe Me When I Cry **

Wallace pulled the car into the underground garage at the Grand. He parked a few spaces down from Logan's Xterra, turned off the ignition, and sat. Veronica hadn't said much on the ride back to the hotel. All attempts he'd made at polite conversation were answered in one word mumbles or silent shrugs. He knew her mind was working overtime, trying to process what happened at the house. She thought her life would get back to normal, whatever that was, once she found out who killed her friend, but it seemed there were even more questions now. He turned in the seat to look at her and said the first thing that came to his mind. "Logan's sister is a bitch."

As unexpected as the statement was, it was exactly what Veronica needed to hear. Laughter bubbled up inside, and she couldn't stop it from coming out even if she wanted to. She laughed so hard, tears streamed down her face. "Trina was just so.... so.... ugh! It's a good thing she hid while we were loading the car. One more snotty remark and I was going to smack her!"

"Yeah, well, when she started talkin' about Lilly, I got a little worried." Wallace was amazed the two hadn't come to blows. Veronica was more a talker than a fighter, words getting her out of most situations, but everyone has a limit. He knew Trina pushed Veronica close to hers. "You handled it better than I thought you would. Do you really think she knew about Lilly and Aaron, or was that just to mess with you?"

"Usually, Trina loves to get her digs in to Logan, but she'd never say anything bad about her dad, so there's a good possibility she knew." Veronica leaned over, resting her head on Wallace's shoulder. "If she'd told someone about the affair. If she'd told Logan. If he'd had the chance to confront Lilly. Maybe it wouldn't have stayed a secret Aaron was willing to kill for. Or if we knew, maybe Aaron would have been a suspect at the beginning. Maybe he'd be in jail now and Logan's mom would be alive."

Wallace dropped his arm over her shoulders and offered her what comfort he could. "That's a lot of maybes and ifs. You can't play that game. It isn't going to help. You did the best you could, Veronica. You found out the truth."

"I know, but... I didn't think it would be this messy. And I didn't think I'd be mad at Lilly. Logan got mad at her the other day, and I watched him, and I knew why he felt that way, but I didn't. And then today..." The tears that were falling now weren't from laughter. Veronica roughly wiped them away, determined to be strong. "I know some of what Trina said is true and I am so mad at Lilly. I'm just so _damn_ _mad_ at her!"

"I never met her, but from what I heard, even I know she wasn't a saint. She made mistakes, mistakes that hurt people. You're allowed to be mad." Sometimes Veronica put the people she loved an a pedestal, like her dad, and when they weren't what she expected them to be, she got crushed. Her standards were high and hard to live up to.

No, Lilly wasn't a saint. Veronica tried to picture her with a shiny gold halo, but the red horns peaking through her hair kept getting in the way. "She was my friend and I loved her, but I'll never understand some of the choices she made. Some of the secrets she kept."

Wallace wasn't going to touch that. He didn't think Veronica would appreciate being reminded how many secrets she kept on a regular basis. Besides, something else was bothering him. Something Trina didn't quite come out and say. He might not be a detective, but Veronica was rubbing off of him. "You don't have to answer this. I mean, I'll understand. It's probably none my business anyway, but... does Logan's dad hit him?" He felt her stiffen next to him, which was answer enough. He did he best to play it off, not wanting her to feel guilty. "It's not difficult to figure out. He's a punch first kind of guy and usually you learn that behavior at home. And Trina hinted Lilly should have known Logan's dad was violent."

The past few days had stretched Veronica to her limit. Coming up with a plausible excuse was beyond her at the moment. Besides it was Wallace; she knew he wouldn't say anything and she had to tell someone. "They should have protected him! His mom, his sister. Lilly! Even Duncan knew. God, _I _should have seen it!" She pulled away, her hands fisted in her lap, angry with herself now. "I can't remember the last time I saw Logan without his shirt in public. He never got in the pool with us. Even when he surfed, he never took off his wetsuit. And there were all those cracks he made about his dad, subtle hints I was too wrapped up in myself to notice. I was the sheriff's daughter! I knew better!"

"Stop! Just stop!" Wallace grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. He didn't want her going there. "You are not going to take the blame for this. His dad hit him; his dad is to blame. And his mother for not stopping it. You weren't wrapped up in yourself. You were fourteen, fifteen years old? The last thing you expect is your friend's parents to be abusing them." Her eyes slid away and he shook her hard until they met his again. "It isn't your fault. Do you understand? It isn't your fault. You know now and you want to do something about it. That's what makes you different from his sister and Lilly and Duncan and whoever else suspected and did nothing. It's what makes you Veronica. Logan's lucky to have you in his corner."

Realistically, what Wallace said made sense. Veronica knew domestic abuse cases were difficult. She'd seen her dad deal with plenty of them. Kids were too scared to say anything. Adults didn't want to get involved in other people's 'family business'. And if the abuser knew how to hide what he - or she - was doing, knew how to inflict pain without leaving easily visible marks, it could go unnoticed for years. But this happened to someone she knew. It happened to Logan. And she couldn't _stand_ that. Anger welled up in her again. "I meant what I told Trina. He's not going back. I don't care what I have to do. I'll hide him if it comes down to it. But Aaron is never, _never_ getting close to Logan again."

"Whatever it takes, I'm on board," Wallace told her, without a trace of hesitation. "And I know your dad's going to say the same thing." He dropped his hands from her shoulders. "I don't know what to make of Logan. Up until a few days again I sorta pegged him as the school jerk and nothing more. And I'm still worried he's going to hurt you again. But what his father did to him, I wouldn't wish that on anyone. So whatever help he needs, whatever help _you_ need. You know I got your back."

Veronica smiled through her tears, her emotions a whirlwind inside her. She was surrounded by amazing people and she wasn't sure how it had happened. "I know you do. You're my BFF."

Wallace groaned next to her, breaking the tension in the car once again. "Please don't say that in public. You make me sound like a girl."

Veronica chuckled as she reached into her messenger bag to grab a small make-up case and a few tissues. She couldn't go upstairs looking like she did. Logan was already worried about her and a tear stained face would only spur his protective nature. He'd either call Trina and bitch her out, or he'd take his frustration out on Veronica and she wasn't up to another fight. "We can't tell Logan what Trina said. He has enough to deal with right now."

Wallace watched her wipe the mascara from under her eyes. If it was him, he'd want to know, but it was Veronica's call. She knew Logan better than he did. "What about you? You've got an awful lot to deal with too."

"Yes, but I have you. And dad. And Logan. Logan has... me." She put in eye drops, catching the excess with the tissue. She could cover some of her appearance with make-up, excuse the rest by saying she was exhausted, but blood-shoot eyes would be a dead give-away. "It isn't going to be like this forever. Things have to settled down eventually. I can be strong until then." She glanced over at him, knew he wasn't happy. "And then, I'll lose it. Once I know everyone else is okay, it'll be my turn. I'll be a real _girl_ about the whole thing. Crying, yelling, uncontrollable emotional outbursts. I promise."

A smile played at the corner of Wallace's mouth. "Don't go overboard. You have a reputation to protect. No one will know what to think."

"My reputation." Veronica dropped her hands into her lap and sighed. "I want a vacation from my life. I want... I want to be a normal seventeen-year-old girl. I don't think I could stand it for long, but for a week maybe? No murder investigations, no cheating spouses, no raving psychos. Can I have that, please?"

The softer side of Veronica Mars - her inner-marshmallow. Wallace nodded. "We'll try to work it into the schedule."

--- VVV

They drug Logan's suitcases to the employee elevator, not bothering to call a bellman, then down the hall to the suite. _Finally_, Veronica thought. She swiped the key card through the lock and nudged the door. But it flew open unexpectedly, and Logan, looking extremely tense, stood in front of her. "We have... company."

Confused, Veronica peaked over his shoulder. Mac, Meg and Dick were sitting in the living area. Mac looked uncomfortable, Meg looked anxious, and Dick looked oblivious as usual. Veronica stifled a groan. So much for a quiet evening. And she was looking forward to a relaxing bubble bath in the Jacuzzi tub. "A little help here?"

When the two girls saw the luggage, they immediately got up to help. Dick didn't move. Everyone took a piece and deposited it in Logan's room. As the others walked out, Logan held Veronica back, he dropped his voice to a whisper. "About ten minutes after I got off the phone with Trina, people started showing up. I didn't know what to do. Dick I could kick out, but Meg and Mac. I..."

"I called to let them know I was alright. With the story on the news, I didn't want them to worry. But I didn't know they'd show up." Veronica didn't want Logan to feel like her friends were crowding him. He knew Meg, but Mac was a dark house, and she'd already wrangled Wallace into helping her with a problem Logan considered his personal business. She didn't want to force too much on him at once. "Is it okay that they're here?" she asked worriedly.

"It's fine that they're here," Logan assured her. "I didn't know if _you_ wanted anyone here." He rubbed the back of his neck. They talked and talked, and yet, there was still so much to talk about. "We're still trying to figure this out." He motioned between them. "And I don't know what you've told them. If you've told them anything. I don't know if you're ready to..." He let the sentence trail off.

Veronica stood on tiptoes and kissed him. "I'm ready if you are." A slow smile spread across Logan's face at her words. "This is us, and those are our friends, and we'll figure it out. No more hiding."

Logan wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her closer, but as he looked down at her, the smile fell from his face. "What's wrong? You look like -"

"I'm tired," Veronica said. If he pushed, she'd have to tell him, but she didn't want to. "It's been a long day, but it was worth it. I brought you stuff!" she ended happily.

Logan wasn't convinced. Her skin was puffy and she had on too much eye make-up. He'd seen his mother use that trick before. "I'm going to kick them out, and then you're going to tell me what happened at the house."

Veronica should have known better. "Not now, Logan, please." She rested her head against his chest. "If I say Trina was being Trina, will you let it go? We could both use a little downtime. And personally, I'd like to talk to my friends. Find out what else is going on in the world."

"There are other things going on in the world?" Logan asked in mock-horror. "Surely you jest. Everything revolves around us, didn't you know that?" He ran his fingers through her hair. Trina was being Trina? Oh, he could guess what that meant. But Veronica was tired, that wasn't a lie, and she had said please.

"Whatever you say, Mr. Ego." Veronica laughed as she stepped back from him. "I have a surprise for you. I picked up something at the house I think you'll like."

Before Logan could ask what it was, Dick grabbed his arm and drug him away. "Dude! Ronnie snagged your PlayStation! I'm so gonna kick your ass at Grand Theft Auto!"

Logan looked back at Veronica, not sure they were done talking, but she waved him away. "That's the surprise."

Wallace held up to games in his hand. "GTA III or San Andreas. What are we playing?"

"San Andreas, man!" Dick's chest puffed out. "A totally superior gaming experience."

Mac sidled up to Veronica and said sotto voce, "I didn't know he knew such big words. He got a 1350 on his SATs." Veronica turned to her, an eyebrow cocked in question. Mac shrugged, no guilt in her expression. "The school keeps a list on the server. I might have... peaked."

Veronica shook her head and chuckled. No computer was safe with Mac around. "So did you 'peak' at my score too?"

"I have to keep an eye on the competition. 2230. Twenty points higher than mine." Mac was a little miffed when she first found out, but she'd let it go. She knew Veronica studied as hard as she did. They both needed scholarships to attend college. But, other scores she found very surprising. "Would it interest you to know Logan beat both of us? 2280, with perfect scores in Critical Reading and Writing."

Veronica watched Logan goof around with Dick and Wallace as the three set-up the gaming system. Her boyfriend, the idiot savant. "He's smart. He just doesn't want anyone to know it." Logan wasn't a bad student, he got C's and B's, but she always knew he could do better. As much as he acted the slacker, he was a veracious reader, preferring biographies to anything else. The quote of the day on his voicemail came mostly from things he'd read. But if anyone asked, he'd tell them he had a book of quotes he thumbed through each morning in the bathroom. He was such a dork.

Logan and Dick were having a shoving match over the wireless game controller. Mac couldn't believe this guy scored better than she did. "He could get into the college of his choice with a score like that. If I was him, I'd be bragging about it."

Dick had Logan in a headlock, and Meg headed over to the girls for safety. "That is ridiculous. What are you two talking about?"

Meg had perfectly lovely smile plastered on her face, but Veronica again noticed the anxiety in her eyes. Something was wrong. "SAT scores. Mac and I were comparing. Care to share?"

Meg sighed heavily. "1840, but I'm going to take it again. UCLA requires a higher score and I think I can do better. My dad's already enrolled me in a summer prep course. Do I want to know what the two of you got?" The girls shared their scores and Meg groaned. "I should have known. Probably the highest in the class."

"Actually," Mac started to say, but was cut-off by Logan.

He came up behind Veronica, wrapping his arms around her again, wireless controller in hand. "Are you talking about me?" he asked in very bad southern drawl.

Veronica titled her head back and smiled up at him. "I have to admit, jamming your elbow in Dick's solar plexus was a sweet move worthy of discussion, but we weren't talking about you."

"We were talking about SAT scores." Meg answered. "The brainiac twins are in the twenty-twos," she pointed to Mac and Veronica. "And I got a 1840. What did you get?"

"1700," Logan said casually as he dropped a kiss on Veronica's cheek, dismissing the subject from his mind. "Thanks for grabbing my PlayStation. I'm going to hang with Wallace and Dick for a while, if that's okay?"

"That's why I brought it. Go have fun." Veronica pushed him back to the boys. She noticed the confused look on Mac's face at Logan's lie. "I told you, he doesn't want people to know. Not his style." She linked her arm with Mac and Meg. "Let us leave the men to their fun, gentlewomen, and retire to my boudoir."

--- VVV

Mac was rather uncomfortable with the tension in the room. She'd heard rumors at school. Wasn't sure they'd reached Veronica yet. The last part of week, Veronica was pretty much in her own world, distracted by, what Mac now realized, was the culmination of Lilly's murder investigation. But Meg looked like she was about to spill, and Mac did _not _want to be around when it happened. "I think I'm gonna go."

"No," Veronica said hastily. She wasn't sure what was going on either, but she had a feeling she didn't want to be alone with Meg. "Actually, I'm glad your here. I grabbed some case files at the office earlier, and I need to do some work, but I don't trust the security of the hotel wifi. Can you take a look?" Her eyes pleaded. "With dad in the hospital, I need to stay on top of things. I'm not sure when he'll be able to work again."

It was the mention of Keith Mars that got to Mac. She'd only met him once, but she liked Veronica's dad. And thinking of him lying in a hospital bed, covered in burns because he'd saved his daughter's life, pulled at her heartstrings. Oh, Veronica was good. Damn her. "Always a pleasure to serve." Mac held out her hands. "Computer and passwords, please." Veronica gave her the laptop, and wrote down the access code for the hotel wifi.

Once Mac was situated, as far away as possible Veronica noted, she turned her attention to Meg. The girl was fidgety and nervous, and she wasn't making eye contact. Bad signs all around. Veronica hoped it wasn't what she thought it was, but she jumped in with both feet. "I'm a surprised to see you. I mean, it's great you stopped by, but I didn't expect it. I thought you'd be at the Kane's with Duncan."

Tears instantly welled up in Meg's eyes at the mention of her boyfriend. "We broke-up!" she bawled as she threw herself at Veronica.

Bingo! Sometimes, Veronica hated it when she was right. She patted Meg's back sympathetically. "Oh, Meg, I'm so sorry." She did honestly feel bad for Meg. She didn't want to ask, but she knew she had to follow the script. "What happened?"

Meg's hands tightly gripped Veronica's arms, her explanation coming out between sobs. "The night of Logan's party... when Duncan walked outside... he trashed his car... he was jealous... and now he won't talk to me!"

So it happened _before_ he found out they weren't related. A smidge of Veronica's own guilt faded. She laid her cheek against Meg's head, her tone comforting. "He was shocked, that's all. Logan and I didn't mean for everyone to find out like that, especially not Duncan. And now, with everything else going on... None of this is easy for him. Give him a few days, then try to talk to him again. I'm sure -"

"No!" Meg said defiantly. "It's over! I know it!" She raised her head just enough to meet Veronica's eyes. "He's still in love with you!" she whaled and collapsed forward once again.

And all of Veronica's guilt came rushing back. Over Meg's shoulder, she saw Mac's eyes open wide and her mouth pucker into an 'O'. Veronica silently begged for help, but Mac vehemently shook her head. Veronica's eye's narrowed, but went back to concentrating on the hysterical girl in her arms. "Meg, what's going on with Duncan is because of Lilly, not me. Just give him some time to deal with things." She hid the fact that she had no confidence in what she was saying. God only knew what Duncan was thinking right now.

Meg completely ignored what Veronica said. "I'm not mad at you. This isn't your fault. I've always known he wasn't over you." She sniffled and looked up at Veronica again. "But what I don't understand is if he wants you, why did he break-up with you in the first place?"

_Because he thought I was his sister_, Veronica thought, but not an answer she could give Meg. "I'm telling you, it was seeing me with Logan. That's all this is. Duncan's... he's... it's like buyers remorse. He saw me with another guy, and he got jealous. And now, with Aaron being arrested for Lilly's murder..." Yes, she kept going back to that. "His mind is really screwed up right now."

Meg shook her head. "But he didn't act like this when you were dating Troy," she pointed out.

Troy. Veronica forgot about him. It was so easy to do. "But Troy isn't his best friend. Logan is. It's different. And he got blindsided with it. Logan and I were keeping our relationship a secret because we wanted to tell Duncan first. We knew he'd... react. That party messed up everything." More blame she could lay at Aaron's feet. The bastard!

"Don't lie to me. Please!" Meg pulled out of Veronica's arms and sat up straight on the bed. "And don't make excuses for Duncan. Don't tell me its shock. Or he's confused. I'm sure Logan's confused too, but he's leaning on you, leaning on his girlfriend for support. Duncan wants nothing to do with me! It's like I don't exist anymore." She roughly wiped away her tears. "I'm not stupid. I know he's still in love with you."

"Meg... I don't..." Veronica's shoulders slumped forward in defeat. No, Meg wasn't stupid, far from it. And she knew there was a ninety percent chance what Meg said was true. When Veronica told Duncan they weren't related, she knew it probably sent him into a tailspin. And if circumstances were different, she might even try to resurrect their relationship. But she wanted to give this thing with Logan a shot. Beyond all the craziness, the simple fact was she liked being with him. "If Duncan still has feelings for me, he hasn't told me. But I'm with Logan now and I'm not leaving him. If Duncan thinks otherwise, and he broke-up with you because of it, I'm sorry."

"Thank you, Veronica, for being honest. I knew I could count on you for that." Meg took a couple of shaky breaths. "My other so-called _friends_ haven't been as... nice about it. And I needed to talk to someone who..." She squeezed her eyes shut and her face contorted as she began to cry again. "It's not just the break-up. I think I'm pregnant."

"Oh!" The one word escaped from Mac's mouth before she could stop it. She quickly bent her head over the keyboard and typed faster.

Veronica shot her another nasty look, then focused back on Meg. "You think or you know? Meg, have you taken a test?"

"No. But I'm late, and I'm never late." Meg wasn't nervous anymore, just defeated. She stared at the ground, her head hung in shame. "What am I going to do, Veronica? My parents are going to kill me."

Veronica wrapped her arm around Meg's waist in support. "Let's deal with one problem at a time." Her mind furiously worked through their options. Obviously, Meg needed to take a pregnancy test. There was a drugstore a couple blocks down. She didn't like what she was about to do, but she didn't have a choice. "Mac, stop acting like your not involved. You're in the room; you're involved. Besides, we need you to go buy a pregnancy test."

"Me?" Mac asked horrified from her corner of the room. She knew her little outburst was going to get her into trouble "Why me?"

Veronica glared at her. "Meg's not leaving the suite until we have an answer, and she's in no condition to go to the store. If I go, it's going to be on the six o'clock news. I have reporters following me everywhere. This is one thing I can't ask Wallace to do. And I'll be damned if we're going to involve Logan or Dick." She pulled a handful of crumpled bills out of her pocket. "Please, Mac? You're the only one who can go get it. You know I wouldn't ask if there was another way."

Mac sighed, but grabbed the money out of Veronica's hand. "For the record, this falls outside the scope of favors I feel comfortable doing for you."

Meg looked up, her eyes wide and brimming with tears. "Mac's right, Veronica. This is my problem. I shouldn't drag you two into it."

Veronica looked at Mac, her eyes communicating exactly what she was thinking. Mac shuffled her feet. "It's not a big deal, Meg. Really, I'll go. Veronica's right. You can't, and she can't, and the guys don't need to know."

Meg gave her a watery smile. "Thanks, Mac. I know we haven't exactly hung-out or anything, but Veronica always says you're a good friend." She laid her head on Veronica's shoulder. Mac mouthed 'I hate you' to Veronica. Veronica smiled and silently said 'I know'.

---TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**LoVe Made Me Drunk **

Earlier while Wallace had looked for Veronica's phone on the Echoll's lawn, she had swiped an unopened bottle of the Stoli vodka Trina was drinking from the liquor cabinet. Veronica knew it was petty and vindictive, but she'd wanted to do something, just a little something, to get back at Trina for the things she said. Her only other idea involved the flagpole at school, but it was a disproportional response and not immediate enough, so she settled on stealing the vodka instead. Her original plan was to have a drink with her bath, but Meg's hysteria increased while Mac was gone, and Veronica gave her a drink to help calm her nerves. Since the bottle was already open, and since Veronica had one hell of a day, she decided to have a drink herself. After Meg left, she convinced Mac to have a cocktail too.

"Was it necessary for her to take all three tests?" Mac asked as she sipped the drink Veronica made for her. It was a mixture of 7Up and blueberry vodka. It was pretty good, much better than the beer normally found at the few high school parties she'd attended.

"You're the one who bought three tests," Veronica countered. She was a little worried about Meg's reaction to the results. It had taken an hour for the girl to stop crying and pull herself together enough to go home. Veronica suggested she stay in the suite for the night, but Meg was adamant she had to leave. She reluctantly admitted her parents didn't know where she was and probably wouldn't approve if they did. Veronica wasn't surprised.

"I never bought a pregnancy test before. I wasn't sure which one to get, so I bought three different kinds. I didn't expect her to use them all." Mac remembered the look on Meg's face when she saw the negative result of the first test, and then the subsequent two. "Was she disappointed? Is that why she took all three? Does she want to be pregnant?"

Veronica had been asking herself the same questions. "No. And maybe yes. I don't think she'd get pregnant on purpose. Meg's not the type, and her parents are super strict. Church every Sunday, bible study, the whole nine yards. If she was pregnant, it would not go over well. But... I think she does love Duncan and it would keep her connected to him."

Mac shivered at the thought of being seventeen and pregnant. Not in her plans, that was for sure. "What she said about not existing anymore? I'm not sure you've heard the rumors at school because you've busy, but I heard Duncan's totally blowing her off."

Veronica fell back on the bed, careful not to spill her drink. "It is such a Duncan thing to do, and it's so crappy of him. You know, he never officially broke-up with me; he just stopped talking to me. Exactly what he's doing with Meg. He doesn't want to face it, so he acts like it's not happening." Even now when she knew the reason why Duncan broke-up with her, she still wasn't happy about he handled it. No, it wouldn't have been an easy conversation, but he had over a year to figure out how to approach it. The fact that she had to drag it out of him on the front porch of his parent's house was unacceptable.

A loud commotion from the outer room caught Mac's attention. The guys had moved from Grand Theft Auto to Resident Evil:Outbreak and were now playing Half-Life. She was tempted to join them, because she knew she could bury them on Half-Life, but she was having fun hanging out with Veronica. They did it so rarely without a case involved. "Soooooo." She sucked in her bottom lip and raised both her eyebrows. "Is he still in love with you?" she asked in a rush.

"And this would be the gossip portion of the evening." Veronica propped herself up on her elbows. "I don't know what's going on with Duncan. The last time I saw him was... that night. He must know I'm staying with Logan. Hell, the entire free world knows. If he is 'in love' with me," she made the air quotes, "then he's probably upset. But how Duncan feels is the least of my problems. Between dad and Logan, I have more pressing issues to deal with." Two girls, sitting in a bedroom, drinking cocktails, talking about life. It reminded Veronica of Lilly, the best parts of Lilly, and she needed it. She needed to remember that more important than Lilly's death, was Lilly's life. The time they spent together laughing, joking, gossiping, being friends. That's what she wanted to remember about Lilly. And she wanted to have that again with someone else. She was glad it was Mac.

"Ah, yes. You and the young Mr. Echolls. When did you two 'hook up', as the kids say? I'm hearing interesting things about an '09er party and you getting busted kissing in Logan's doorway." Mac had to admit she was curious. Seeing Logan and Veronica all cuddly earlier was weird.

"A month ago?" At Mac's shocked and hurt expression, Veronica hurried on to explain. "Neither one of us knew what was going on. We have so much baggage and there was so much to work through. Still is. We wanted to keep it quiet until we figured it out. And Duncan was missing. We wanted to wait until he got home so we could tell him personally. Of course, you heard how well that plan worked." Veronica stared down into her glass. "Neither one of us were looking for this, it just... sorta... happened."

"You two were friends before. An argument could be made it's not completely out of left field." With perspective the rest of them didn't poses because they were close to Lilly, Mac reasoned the tension between Logan and Veronica over the past year had more to do with grief than any real hatred they held for each other. "How's your dad taking it?"

"If he wasn't laid out in the hospital, I'm sure he'd be lecturing me every minute of the day, but right now he's just happy I'm alive. The after-glow is washing over onto Logan." Then Veronica remembered the past few days and the conversations in her dad's hospital room. "I take it back. It's not all because of me. I think my dad likes Logan and I know he feels bad for him. Not pity, but empathy. With everything Logan's lost, I think my dad respects him because he's still standing. Perseverance through adversity. All that guy stuff."

"How very John Wayne of him," Mac commented and both girls laughed. But Mac understood. She'd suffered her own adversity recently finding out the truth about her parents. It almost crushed her. She couldn't imagine how Logan was dealing with the truth about his father. "He was sweet to me when I showed up. You weren't here, so I was going to leave, but he told me to stick around. Got me a coke. Asked me about some computer stuff. It was uncomfortable, but he wasn't an ass or anything. And then Dick showed up." Mac rolled her eyes, her disgust evident. "And he_ was_ an ass, but Logan told him to back-off. Not the treatment I expected from Logan Echolls."

Veronica was sure the situation was awkward for both of them, but she was proud Logan treated her friend well. "Contrary to popular opinion, Logan's never been an easy one to pin down. He can be sweet. He can be a jackass. Most of the time, he does what's expected of him. He's a chameleon really. It takes a lot for him to stop acting and just be Logan."

"So the two of you _do_ have something in common," Mac said in her best smart-ass tone. Veronica threw a pillow at her head, but Mac ducked before it could connect. "Come on, Veronica. You're not the easiest person to get to know either. If you were a computer, your firewalls would be unbreachable. If someone doesn't have the password, they can't connect."

"Am I that bad?" Veronica whispered, not sure she liked the analogy. She knew she was closed-off, but Mac made her sound like...

"Firewalls are in place for protection," Mac said matter-of-factly. "You have a multitude of secrets you don't want anyone touching. I'm not saying it's bad. You got screwed over by people you thought were your friends. Once bitten, twice shy." It wasn't Mac's intention to insult Veronica. It was the last thing she wanted to do. But she thought Veronica would appreciate the honesty. On a lighter note she added, "It's like a private club. The five or six of us you let get close. I must admit, I do feel special," she teased.

Veronica's smile reappeared. "You should feel special. I am a very discerning person. Only the _best _people are my friends."

"We're an eclectic bunch, I'll give you that." Mac thought about Veronica's friends: the computer geek, the athlete, the biker, the princess, the jackass. There were several pop-culture references she could make, but she refrained. "Me, Wallace, Weevil, Meg, Logan. Am I missing anyone?"

"Duncan," Veronica said, then qualified, "but only on his good days."

Mac snorted. "Uh, no. I don't think so." Veronica titled her head and waited for Mac to explain. "That chameleon thing you mentioned? You do that with Duncan. You're not Veronica around him, not the Veronica I know. You get all... soft," Mac finished with a squinch of her face. "Logan, Logan you give hell. But with Duncan, you're all... ah_ah_ah_ah_," her voice falsetto as she battered her eyelashes and fluttered her fingers.

"Mac!" Veronica practically screeched as she lightly slapped her friend's shoulder.

But Mac continued to laugh at her. "It's not my fault you get all goggly-eyed." She tucked her feet under her on the bed. She was getting into the whole gossip thing. She'd never really done it before. Never had a girlfriend to do it with. "But it looks like there are still feelings there. If Duncan asked you out, would you say yes?"

"I'm dating Logan," Veronica said primly.

"That's an evasion," Mac pointed out, "and does not answer the question."

"You're right," Veronica agreed. She laid down on her stomach, her head propped up in her hand. Unlike Mac, she didn't have to drive home and didn't have to go to school in the morning, so she was on her second drink, while Mac was savoring her one-and-only. The alcohol was obviously wearing down those barriers Mac mentioned and Veronica took a chance. "What do you think I should do?" Mac's face paled and Veronica could see her start to pull away. "Don't stop now. We're having an open discussion fueled by alcohol. I've already heard from Wallace and my dad. You're observant and I trust you. I'm not going to base the rest of my life on what you think, but I want to know."

"O-kay," Mac reluctantly agreed and hoped Veronica didn't hate her in the morning. She gave the question the consideration it deserved before answering. "To make a truly informed decision, I would need more data, but going on what little information I have... I'd have to say... stick with Logan. He keeps you on your toes."

"And that's a good thing?" Veronica asked with interest as she sipped her drink.

"You could tie Duncan Kane into knots without even trying. The guy's a born people pleaser, even I can see that. Logan seems like more of a challenge, and you like to be challenged." Mac thought the dynamic between Veronica and Logan was interesting. Normally, Veronica didn't let people's opinions effect her, but Logan easily got under her skin. Either Veronica let him do it, or Logan knew how to do it better than anyone else. Interesting. "But I'm probably wrong. You shouldn't listen to me."

"No, I'd say you're dead-on. That's sorta what I've been thinking." Veronica didn't sensor what she said next. "The goggily-eyed girl, that's the old Veronica. The Veronica I was before Lilly died. And the way Duncan looks at me, like he only sees the old me, it's flattering, but unsettling. If he's in love with anyone, it's the girl I used to be. But I'm not sure I can be her again. Or want to be her again. I don't always like the new Veronica, but at least I know I can depend on myself now. I'm stronger." She shook the deep thoughts from her mind as she pushed herself up from the mattress. "I obviously need food to counterbalance the effects of the alcohol. You hungry?"

"I could eat." Mac knew a change of subject when she heard it, but she had something to say before the opportunity was lost. She put her hand on Veronica's arm to stop her from walking away. "Personally, I like this Veronica better. The old one never would have been my friend."

--- VVV

The girls were still talking and laughing - only Veronica was drinking - when Wallace knocked on the bedroom door. He opened it enough to stick-in his head. "Hey superfly, I'm heading out."

"But it's only - " Veronica turned to the bedside clock, which read ten-twenty-three. "I didn't realize it was so late." Meg left around six and Veronica ordered room service for her and Mac around seven, but it didn't feel like three hours had passed since they'd eaten.

Mac glanced at the clock too, then hopped up from the bed. "I need to be getting home. I'm surprised my mom hasn't called to find out where I am." She quickly gathered her things from around the room.

Veronica scrambled off the bed, in the process tripping over her own foot and bouncing back on the mattress. "Thanks, stud," she said around a giggle as Wallace helped her stand.

She swayed on her feet and Wallace kept a hold of her until she was steady. "Are you _drunk_?" he asked incredulously. He'd been stuck in a room with Dick Casablancas for almost five hours, doing his best to play nice with the idiot '09er while trying to get a better read on Logan, and she'd been in her bedroom getting drunk!

Veronica pinched her thumb and forefinger together. "Just a little."

Mac slung her messenger bag over her shoulder, then held up the vodka bottle for Wallace's inspection. "I had one drink, Meg had one drink, Veronica had the rest."

Wallace looked at the two-thirds empty bottle, shaking his head. "And Logan turned down the beer Dick offered him 'cause he was afraid you'd be upset." He tried to sit her back down on the bed. "Stay here and sleep it off."

But Back-Up pushed open the door and came bounding into the bedroom. He stopped in front of Veronica, wagging his tail, looking up at her expectantly. She bent over and threw her arms around him. "Hi, puppy! Ah, such a good puppy. Do you have to got outside?" she asked in a tone of voice usually reserved for babies. Back-Up pranced in affirmation. "Okay, puppy. I'll take you." She sidled out of the room, the dog following.

Wallace turned to Mac, his disapproval evident. "Like I could have stopped her," Mac answered the unasked question. "And she's not drunk, she's tipsy. But we should probably go downstairs with her so she doesn't get into trouble."

"You think?!" Wallace growled. Because what the situation needed was a reporter cornering Veronica in her present state. Who knew what she'd say - or do. He snatched the vodka from Mac's hand and walked out of the room to catch up with his friend.

Veronica was already at the suite door with the dog. Wallace slammed the bottle on the counter of the kitchenette and hurried to her side. Logan and Dick were playing Hitman, Dick too involved to notice what was going on, but Logan looked up at the sound. He focused on the bottle, then his eyes snapped to his girlfriend. Back-Up pulled on his lead and Veronica pitched forward. Thankfully, Wallace had a hand on her arm so she didn't fall. Logan started to stand, concern and disbelief at what he was seeing written plainly on his face, but Wallace waved him off with an 'I got this' gesture. Mac joined them and the three left the suite.

Logan slowly sat back down on the sofa, his concentration shattered. If he didn't know any better, he'd say Veronica was... drunk. But that was impossibly. Ronnie didn't get drunk. Ronnie barely drank at all. But his eyes kept wandering back to the bottle of vodka.

--- VVV

When the group returned, Logan threw his controller on the sofa. He wanted answers. "I'll be back in a minute," he said to Dick.

Dick continued to play, totally focused on the game. "Whatever, dude. I was kicking your ass anyway." Which he was because Logan was distracted.

Logan dismissed his friend from his mind and walked over to where Veronica was unclipping Back-Up's lead. Wallace still looked unhappy and Mac looked bored. For the moment, he dismissed them too and centered his attention on Veronica. "Ronnie?" he asked, trepidation in his voice.

Veronica straightened and lunged for Logan. She threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him solidly on the mouth. "Logan! Are you having fun? I'm having fun. Back-Up was a very good boy. He deserves a treat." She disentangled herself from her boyfriend. "Come on, boy! Let's get a cookie." And she floated away to the kitchenette and the dog biscuits she'd stored in one of the cabinets.

_My god_, Logan thought, _she is drunk_. He tasted the alcohol when she kissed him. He narrowed his eyes at her companions, his voice a threatening whisper. "Care to explain?"

Wallace pointed to Mac, keeping his voice low too. "This is all you, girly-girl. You're the one who was with her all night."

Mac huffed. She'd listened to enough of Wallace's muttered outrage downstairs; she wasn't going to take guff from Logan too. "So she had a couple of drinks? She's not falling-down drunk, she's happy. Would you two stop acting like the world's coming to an end." She peaked over at Veronica to make sure her friend was still busy with Back-Up. "Meg was upset and Veronica gave her a drink. She had one too. Once we got Meg calm again and out the door, Veronica had a few more. In the last four hours, she's had five, maybe six drinks. And I watched her pour them. I don't think there was a full shot of vodka in any of them. Plus, she ate a dinner. She's not accustomed to drinking, that's all. She's fine."

"Five or six drinks!" Logan said through clenched teeth as he ran a hand roughly through his hair "If she's hung-over tomorrow, _I'm_ the one who's going to get the blame. Keith is going to _kill_ me!"

"Then I wouldn't go to the hospital first thing in the morning." Mac smiled sweetly. When she first walked into the suite, she was nervous around Logan, not quite sure how to act. But after hours of talking to Veronica and learning more about the guy, Logan didn't scare her in the slightest. It was like dealing with Weevil. There was public perception and then there was private reality. According to Veronica, Logan was a pussycat. That piece of information gave Mac the courage she needed to do what she did next. She poked her finger hard into Logan's chest. "But if you try to take advantage of her half-drunk state, I'll make sure her dad knows _all _about it. Got it?"

Logan smirked at the unexpected threat from the girl Veronica had described as shy. Spunky was more like it. Damn! Another one of Veronica's friends who knew he was going to like. "She's perfectly safe with me. See, that's her bedroom," he pointed then turned, "and that's my bedroom. Everything's cool."

Veronica told Mac about the actual sleeping arrangements, so she gave Logan a look that made lesser computer geeks squirm. "It better be, mister. Veronica tells me things, you know. And I'm watching you." Wallace barked out a laugh next to her. Mac turned her steely gaze on him. "She's already got one over-protective father; she doesn't need two. Cut her some slack. It's been a rough couple of days."

Veronica chose that moment to saunter back. "I thought you guys were leaving. Did you decide to stay? 'Cause this place makes the best hot fudge sundaes. And Logan doesn't care what I order," she finished lightly slapping him on the chest.

Logan grabbed her hand before it slid down his torso and entwined his fingers with hers. She smiled up at him, and he realized Mac was right. Oh, Veronica _was_ drunk, but she was happy too. And relaxed. And more open than he'd seen her since... well, since before Duncan broke-up with her sophomore year. He lifted their joined hands to his lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. "Yeah, stick around. Have a sundae." Anything to keep that smile on her face.

_My work here is done_, Mac thought. "Thanks, but I really need to get home. Some of us have school in the morning. You ready to go Wallace?"

Wallace was fascinated with the sight in front of him. In the past few hours he'd decided Logan might be an okay guy after all. He was a gracious loser, unlike Dick who complained every time he lost, and a decent winner, not rubbing it in. He'd been willing to put up with people he didn't know invading his private space when Wallace was sure he wanted to be left alone. More points in his favor. But Wallace didn't expect the look Logan was giving Veronica, or the look she was giving him back. They really _were_ into each other. Mac nudged his shoulder. "Ah, yeah, yeah. I'm good to go. I'll walk down with ya. Call me tomorrow, Veronica. Let me know how your dad's doing."

Veronica gave each of them a one-armed hug; her other hand still attached to Logan. "Thanks for helping me earlier, Wallace. And thanks for stopping by, Mac. We need to do it more often."

The friends finished their good-byes, and Logan closed the door behind them when they left. Then he settled his hands on Veronica's waist and whispered in her ear. "Two down, one to go." He planted a loud kiss on her cheek.

Veronica giggled and squirmed in his arms. "Let him beat you so he'll leave. And then you and I can have some quality time together. We haven't been alone all day."

She pouted, her bottom lip sticking out, and Logan wanted nothing more than bite it and suck it into his mouth. But in the state Veronica was in, that could lead to very, very bad things. And now he had Keith and Mac to worry about. No taking advantage of drunk Veronica. Not tonight. But he wouldn't mind cuddling next to her in bed. "Whether I beat him or not, I'm kicking him out after this last game. Promise." He gave her one more kiss, then released her.

Twenty minutes later, Veronica was perched on a bar stool watching Logan and Dick battle it out on the sofa. Dick Casablancas. One of the many banes of her existence. Like Trina, it wasn't that he was inherently evil. He was... indifferently evil. He walked through life not recognizing the destruction he caused.

Like the GHB he'd slipped into Madison's drink at Shelley Pomroy's party. First off, who has to secretly dose their own girlfriend? If she stopped sleeping with him, and if all Dick wanted was someone to have sex with, which Veronica was positive was his main requirement in a girlfriend, why didn't he dump her? Dick was a decent looking guy. He could easily find another skank willing to fill Madison's place. It wasn't difficult. Girl's were constantly looking to move up the '09er boyfriend food chain, and many of them didn't care what or who they had to do to do it. Dick could have had another girl in twenty-four hours. He probably could have had another girl by the end of Shelley's party.

Second, who 'gives' their brother an unconscious girl to screw? Did it never occur to him that along with being morally reprehensible, it was also _illegal_? No, he didn't know about the drugs already in her system, and yes, along with Dick, Logan was part of the crew feeding her drinks. But no matter how mad Logan was at her, she knew he wouldn't have left her alone in a room with Beaver, given Beav a strip of condoms, and told him to 'have at it'.

The more Veronica thought about it, more furious she became. She hadn't had time to linger on what happened since finding out the truth. Duncan's confession, and her true paternity, and accusing Logan of killing Lilly, and figuring out Aaron was the actual murderer, and her dad's hospitalization had sorta pushed Dick's actions to the back of her mind. But now it was front and center once again. Veronica stalked across the room, her need for vengeance driving her forward. She swung her hand back as far as it would go, and let lose with a smack that thwumped on the back of Dick's head. "You sick son-of-a-bitch!" she yelled from behind him.

The impact snapped Dick's head forward and he dropped his controller. His hand shot up to cover the stinging spot on his neck; she'd clipped him good. "God damn it, Ronnie!" he bellowed as he jumped over the sofa, the game instantly forgotten. "What the _fuck_ is wrong with you!"

Veronica took a step back, but she didn't run away. She folded her arms across her chest, fury radiating from her eyes. Back-Up protectively stood between her and her opponent. "You left me in room with _Beaver_?! You gave him _condoms_?! You _encouraged_ him to have _sex _with me while I was _passed-out_?! What the fuck is wrong with _you_!"

It took a second for Logan to register that he had a real problem on his hands. It had been weeks since Veronica found out the truth. His first instinct was to do some damage to his friend, but she'd been adamant she wanted no one to know what happened to her that night. And when she didn't immediately eviscerate Dick herself, he took her at her word. Suddenly, he realized, she must have changed her mind. It had to be the alcohol. He skidded around the sofa. "Veronica, calm down."

"Stay out of this, Logan!" she growled, not taking her eyes of Dick. "I want some answers, and I want them _now_!"

Dick, in his own ignorance, didn't fully comprehend the magnitude of the current situation, and so he made a typical Dick remark. "Christ, Ronnie! You're pissed at me because you got drunk and were being a slut at a party? So you ended up in a room with Beav. It could have been anybody. You weren't being picky." He turned to Logan to back him up. "You were there, man. She was all over _everybody_."

Logan eyes darted between Veronica, Back-Up and Dick, sweat rolling down his back. Back-Up could easily kill Dick. Veronica could easily kill Dick. He didn't want to defend his friend's actions, but he didn't want to clean-up blood off the floor either. "Veronica, I don't know what you want me to do here. If you push this any farther..." It wasn't a subtle reminder, but he didn't have a choice.

Veronica heard Logan, but she couldn't stop herself. She pointed an accusing finger at Dick. "He gave Madison the GHB-laced drink! It's his fault! He's the reason I was- I was-" She stumbled over the last set of words and started to shake. She hadn't been raped, but she had been exposed, violated, betrayed, and all by people she once considered her friends. The anger fell from her face, immediately replaced by pure unadulterated pain, and a sob wrenched from her throat.

Logan was curled around her in a heartbeat. "I've got you, Ronnie. You're safe now." He glanced at Dick who opened his mouth to ask what was going on, but Logan cut him off. "I'll be back." Then Logan swung Veronica up into his arms and carried her to her bedroom.

--- VVV

"What happened to her?" Dick asked with genuine concern in his voice when Logan emerged from the bedroom a little while later. He'd never seen Veronica like that. Not after Lilly's death. Not after her father was kicked-out of office. Not after the months of verbal abuse at school. He didn't know how to handle it. "And what does it have to do with the GHB I gave Madison? It didn't even work."

Logan dropped into the seat next to Dick. Veronica had finally cried herself to sleep, but with her other nightmares, he wasn't sure how long she'd be out. He was determined to make this quick. He didn't know what he could tell Dick without breaking the promise he'd made her, but he knew he had to tell him something. She'd said too much to play it off. "Madison didn't drink the damn drink. She gave it to Veronica. You figure out the rest."

Dick wasn't stupid, and contrary to how he normally acted, he wasn't heartless either. "She wasn't drunk that night? She was..." He let the sentence trail off as he connected the dots. He slumped down on the sofa, covering his face with his hands. "Beav didn't -"

"No, Beaver didn't do anything to her. He ran out of the room and threw-up on some chick's shoes. At least, that's what Veronica's been told. She doesn't remember much about that night." Logan rubbed the back of his neck, felt the knot at the top of his spine. He just wanted the world to fade away. "I hear about this from anyone, and I will break you. I mean it, Dick. None of it leaves this room. She's been through enough, most of it our fault. I won't have this thrown in her face too."

"Yeah, man. Of course." And Dick meant it; he wasn't going to tell a soul. He knew there was more, more Logan wasn't going to tell him. And he knew he didn't want to know the rest. "I didn't know, Logan. I swear to god, I didn't know about the drugs."

"Drugged or drunk. Does it really make a difference?" Logan let the weight of his own guilt settle on his shoulders. "I knew she was out of it and I let guys do body shots off of her. Hell, I started the fucking game." He closed his eyes, let his head fall back against the sofa. "She was my friend and she did nothing wrong. She stood by her dad, her family, and I treated her like shit for it. I don't know how she can even stand to look at me."

Dick gently touched the spot on the back of his neck where Veronica slapped him. "Has she ever hit you? 'Cause for a little thing, she hits like a heavy weight."

"She hasn't gotten around to smacking me yet, but I figure it's only a matter of time." Dick wasn't going to push for more of an explanation, and Logan was glad. He'd said enough as it was. "You gotta go, man. I don't want to leave her alone too long."

Dick took the booting graciously. He stood up and walked towards the door, but he hesitated with his hand on the doorknob. "Logan, tell her I'm sorry. I know it doesn't change much, but I am sorry for whatever happened to her that night."

Logan patted Dick on the back. "It doesn't change a damn thing, but I'll tell her anyway. I call you tomorrow."

--- VVV

When Logan slid into bed next to Veronica she was still asleep, but she was tossing and turning, mumbling to herself. He pulled her close, anchoring her to him like he'd done the previous night. After a few minutes, her restlessness subsided. Logan brushed a kiss across her temple, wondering once again how, after everything he'd done to her, she could find comfort in his arms.

Dysfunction didn't begin to describe them. They were a broken pair. Both with family issues, both with trust issues, both with masks they showed the world instead of their real selves. And yet between them, there was a sense of contentment. They were like the eye of the storm. The middle calm with devastation swirling all around them. But the eye eventually folded in on itself and became part of the storm, maybe the worst part. They'd be swept-up into the surge. And if circumstances didn't change - if they didn't change - they'd end up destroying each other.

The ominous thought plagued Logan, and it was some time before he followed Veronica into sleep.

---TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**A LoVe of Confusion **

Three piles of case folders sat on the small hospital lap table between Keith and Veronica. The first pile contained cases Veronica couldn't handle on her own and would need to be referred to other PI's. The second pile were cases her and her dad agreed she could finish. Mostly the standard cheating spouse or background check. But the third pile... the third pile were the cases they were currently arguing about. Veronica held one of those files open in her hands. "She's a shoplifter! You don't think I can bring in a woman who was picked up stealing tubes of lipstick from the local discount store?"

Keith snatched the file from her and put it back on top of the pile. "She's a bail-jumper. I don't care what the original offense was, you don't go after bail-jumpers." He knew his blood pressure was skyrocketing. He loved Veronica, but she was going to be the death of him. This was not the rest the doctors recommended he get. "And you don't take any new cases either. Mars Investigations is temporarily closed."

Veronica bucked. "But -"

"No. New. Cases," Keith said firmly, but he saw the wheels turning in his daughter's head. He leveled his eyes on her, pointing his finger at her. "I'll know, Veronica. I'll check the books for the cash. You won't be able to hide it from me. And I'm going to call about the referred cases too. Don't think you can out-smart me, little girl. I taught you everything you know."

Logan, sitting in the corner of the room far away from the action, attempted to cover his laughter, but it escaped as a snort. Veronica flicked her eyes over him, then went back to arguing with her father. "What if I only take the easy cases? More background checks maybe? Things I don't have to leave the office to handle." Another week, that's what the doctor said. Her dad would be in the hospital for another week, in a private room that was costing them a fortune. Some months they barely got by, and now they'd have hospital bills to pay. They couldn't afford to stay closed. "Dad, we need the money!"

"And I need to keep my license." Keith rubbed his temple with his good hand. Cases she didn't have to leave the office to handle! Who was she kidding? She wouldn't stop with background checks. Give Veronica an inch, she took a mile. "When people walk into Mars Investigations they expect a licensed investigator to take their case. I can have you do certain things as long as you are under my supervision, but, honey, you are not a licensed investigator. You're a seventeen-year-old high school student. They could revoke my license, and then what would we do for money? Hmm?" Veronica slumped back in her chair, and Keith knew he'd won. Emotional pleas about her safety would get him nowhere, but a nice, logical argument, and he owned her. "And you're forgetting about the money from the city and Duncan's reward. We'll be fine until I'm back on my feet."

Veronica sighed loudly as she tapped her foot on the floor in annoyance. It was completely unfair. She might not be licensed, and that was only because of her age, but she was a damn good investigator. She hated being dismissed. But now that she'd brought it up, she knew her dad would check, as promised. He'd want a detailed explanation of all deposits into the business account. She couldn't ask potential clients to make the checks out to her, and she couldn't work off the books, 'cause what would be the point? She was cornered. "You are so... _stubborn_!"

"At least you know you come by it honestly." Keith gave her as self-satisfied smile, as he watched Logan nod in agreement out of Veronica's line of sight. The boy had no illusions about who Veronica was, which was probably a good thing. Keith tugged on her hand until she reluctantly sat next to him on the bed. "Honey, you are an extremely capable young woman. I'm not denying that. The work you did on Lilly's case was top-notch. I couldn't have done any better. But this isn't the life I want for you."

"What about what I want?" Veronica interrupted tersely.

"I wasn't finished," Keith informed her, a note of paternal authority in his voice. "This isn't the life I want for you, but you have an affinity for it, which is probably my own fault. Like I said, I taught you everything you know. I know I can't force you to quit. I could ban you from the office and you'd still find trouble." Logan was nodding again and Keith did his best to control his own laughter. "All I'm asking is for you to put the PI work aside for a month or two. You have reporters following you. You have finals in two weeks. You have me to take care of when I get out of here. That's enough for now."

Veronica mulled over what her father said. He wasn't trying to shut her out completely, which was good. And maybe once he was out of the hospital, she could _persuade_ him to supervisor cases from home. Temporarily placated, she kicked off her shoes, tucked her feet under her on the bed. "No new cases and I'll hand the others off as promised."

"Thank you." Keith was still going to call to make sure she did it. She was his daughter, after all. He motioned for Logan to join them. The boy had stayed out of the work discussion, but Keith was determined to include him in their daily lives as much as possible. Logan needed some sense of normalcy, especially now. "What do you two have planned for the rest of the day?"

Logan switched seats, moving to the chair Veronica had recently vacated. "The DA wants to see me. Cliff's meeting me at the court house at noon."

"And I'll be with insurance adjustor at the impound lot," Veronica added. She knew her father wasn't going to like the next part, but she didn't want to argue about it. She's already heard Logan's views on the subject, and she knew her dad's would be similar, but she was doing the right thing. She was sure of it. "I called Weevil. He does body work at his uncle's shop and he's worked on Le Baron before. He's meeting me there. I think the car's totaled, but if the adjustor says otherwise, Weevil's better equipped to talk with him." Her decision and her reasoning all in few simple statements.

Keith pursed his lips and gave her a skeptical frown, but at the moment he was more interested in what Logan said. "Why does the DA want to see you?"

"I don't know." Logan was worried about the meeting. He'd already given his statement to the police. He didn't have any more information. If he did, he'd be more than happy to hand it over. He wanted Aaron in jail as much as Veronica and Keith, maybe more. "Cliff wasn't sure either. He got a call from the DA this morning asking if I could come down. Cliff said it was a request, not a summons. I don't have to go, but I'm curious, so I'm going."

Keith tapped his fingers on the mattress. He knew the state guys were working overtime to get up to speed on the investigation. He talked to Burrows daily. The night before he had a lengthy conversation with his old friend after Burrows had a chance to review the files Veronica gave him. But Keith couldn't figure out why the DA would need to talk to Logan so soon. He couldn't be anywhere near close to putting together the case against Aaron. "Did Cliff sound concerned at all?"

"Not really," Logan said, his voice anxious as he fidgeted in his seat. "I don't think the DA told him much, just that he wanted to talk to me. Are you... concerned?"

It wasn't Keith's intention to scare the boy. He realized too late it was exactly what he'd done. He gave Logan an easygoing smile. "No, just curious. Stop by when you're done. I'd like to know what happens." He held up his hand, pulling back a little. "If I'm not overstepping."

Logan visible relaxed. "Of course not. You and Veronica, whatever you want to know, I don't have a problem telling you. If it wasn't for the two of you, no one would know the truth."

"Good," Keith said, matter-of-factly and with confidence. Then he turned his sites back to his daughter. "Now, let's discuss your brilliant idea of getting advice from Eli Navarro."

--- VVV

Veronica fumed in the passenger seat of the Xterra, her arms folded in front of her defensively. "I can't _believe_ the two of you ganged up on me! There is _nothing_ wrong with asking Weevil to be there." She'd endured a twenty minute lecture from her dad with Logan throwing in his two-sense at ever opportunity. "This is what he does. He's an expert with cars."

"Stealing them for a living doesn't make him an expert," Logan snarked back.

"I know you don't like him, but he's my friend. When I need help, he's there." Veronica was feeling a little snarky herself. She could handle her dad, and she could handle Logan, but the two of them together... It was like being stuck in tag-team match except she didn't have a partner. "He stopped you from jumping off the bridge, didn't he?"

"Oh definitely," Logan said, the sarcasm dripping from his voice. "And then he beat me until I was unconscious. What a pal!"

Logan hit the brakes, causing Veronica to jerk forward against the seatbelt. She slapped him hard on the thigh. "Damn it, Logan! If you're going to drive like a maniac, I'll have Weevil take me back to the hotel!"

Logan chewed on the inside of his cheek, the memory of Veronica calling the biker when she found the recording equipment in the pool house vivid in his mind. "Of course you will. 'Cause Weevil's you're go-to guy when you want to runaway from me." Then their morning conversation came flooding back too. "Or here's an idea. How about you call Duncan? I'm sure he'd _love_ to give you a _ride_." The last sentence said with obvious sexual undertones.

And there it was. "If we're going to argue, can we argue about one thing at a time?" Veronica knew Logan had more to say about what she's told him earlier, but he'd clammed-up when they were discussing it. She took two deep breaths, letting them out slowly, doing her best to calm down. "If you knew anything about cars, other than how to drive them into the ground, I'd ask you to stay with me when I meet with the adjustor. But, you don't. Weevil does, plain and simple. I've already apologized about the night in the pool house. I was confused and I didn't know what to do. It was too late to call Wallace, that's the _only_ reason I called Weevil. I wasn't choosing him over you, I just needed to get out of there. It might not have been to fair to you, but it was how I reacted. You know I'm sorry."

Logan didn't say anything, but he eased up on the accelerator. The car's speed dropped to within five mph of the posted limit.

Veronica took that as a good sign. "And as for Duncan -" The car lurched forward again and she grimaced. "Logan! _Slow down_! You'd make Lamb's _month_ if you gave him a reason to pull you over! Stop being a _jackass_!"

The sheriff's department was fast approaching on the right. Logan turned into the parking lot, jumping the curb and rocking the SUV. They skidded to a halt at the security gate. The officer at the gate eyed Logan as he approached. "Thought you were going to go right through there for a second."

"Sorry about that," Logan said flatly.

"Hello, Veronica," the officer smiled when he saw her sitting in the passengers seat. "Sheriff said you'd be stopping by. Your car, right?"

"Hey, Corey," Veronica answered back with a smile of her own. She liked Matt Corey. He was close to retirement, having been with the sheriff's department since his twenties. He was a good officer and still a friend of her dad's. "Yeah, I'm here about my car. Jack Strowder, the insurance adjustor, is meeting me. Also Eli Navarro. They both on your list?"

Corey laughed as he tapped the clipboard in his hand. "Got 'em right here. Have to tell ya, Lamb was bitch' up a storm earlier about putting Weevil on this list. But then, you know how he gets." He leaned forward, sticking his head in the driver's window, forcing Logan to push back against the seat. "Any chance Keith'll run against him in the next election?"

Veronica heard the hopeful tone in Corey's voice. "He hasn't mentioned it, but if he does, you'll be the first to know." She hoped her dad would run too. Being elected sheriff again would be the best vindication. He deserved it.

In the rearview mirror, Logan saw the reporters starting to circle. "I hate to cut this short, but ah..." He pointed behind him.

Corey shook his head in disgust. "Damn, vultures. Go on in. I'll keep 'em out. Tell your dad I said hello, Veronica, and that me and the wife are praying for him." He moved back to the guard station and opened the gate. Veronica waved as they drove through.

Logan found a space near the back of the lot, away from prying eyes and cameras. He shoved the shifter into park and roughly cut off the engine. With no preamble, he exploded. "How do you expect me to react? This morning you _casual_ mention that Duncan and Meg broke up. You _casual_ mention he's might still be in love with you. You _casual_ mention he thought he was your brother when he _slept _with you!" Logan's temper rose with every sentence.

"You already knew the first two. Dick told you." Veronica had chastised him for keeping the gossip to himself. He'd apologized, and she considered the subject closed. "The other was too twisted to tell you about before, and I only found out the truth a week ago. You should be happy I told you at all. It's not something I plan on sharing with the rest of the world."

"I'm _not_ the rest of the world. You're _supposed_ to tell me stuff like that," Logan practically growled. "But you gotta give me time to process it, damn it!"

"Process what?" Veronica asked incredulously. "It's not real, Logan! It's Celeste Kane being a bitch. What is there to process about that? She made a false accusation without any hard evidence. She tied her son into knots with the information she _thought_ she had, and she ran my mom out of town. Yes, Duncan and I had sex, and from his perspective - eww - but, and I'm not accusing you, I swear to god I'm not, but if Duncan hadn't been drugged, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have happened. Bottom line, we're not related." In all honesty, she knew his anger had nothing to do with the paternity issue. Logan was using it as an excuse. "You have no reason to be jealous of Duncan. How many times do I have to tell you -"

"He wants you back!" Logan blurted out. He glanced at her, then quickly glanced away, not wanting to see proof of what he already knew to be true. "This _changes_ things. There's a _reason_ for what he did now. He's always been in love with you, even when he thought he shouldn't be, and now there's nothing to stop the two of you from being together again." He heard the raw pain in his own voice, hated the fact he couldn't mask it. "I know you're still in love with him too."

Veronica's own anger disappeared. She reached across the empty space, gently turned his head toward her. "When did I say that?" she asked, her voice soft and warm as she stared deep into his eyes. This was another thing she could lay at Lilly's feet. All those times Lilly told Logan she cared about him, loved him, then cheated on him. He was as wary of relationships as Veronica was, but she was determined to give them a chance. They couldn't do that with Duncan standing between them.

"You don't have to say it." Logan pulled away from her touch, his gaze shifting to his lap. His best friend being Veronica's ex was bad enough. Now he knew breaking-up with her wasn't what Duncan wanted at all. It was just a huge misunderstanding he was sure the two of them would laugh about on their tenth anniversary. "Duncan's Prince Charming. Mr. Perfect. And I'm still the psychotic jackass you always said I was, expect now, I'm the murder's son too." He laughed bitterly. "I can see how the choice would be difficult for you."

Veronica reached for him again, and Logan flinched, but she wasn't deterred. She slid her hand across his palm, threaded her fingers with his. "It's _my_ choice to make, and in case you haven't noticed, I chose you. I knew Duncan wasn't my brother a week ago, but it was _you_ I had Weevil search for that night. You're the one I needed."

Logan wanted to believe her. God, how he wanted to believe her. "Veronica..."

She dipped her head forward, hoping to catch his eye. "Duncan might be Prince Charming, but I am so not Cinderella. I got rid of the glass slippers a long time ago. He doesn't see that." She repeated back his words to her two nights before. "But you see me. You've always seen me."

Logan roughly pulled her into his lap, burying his face in her neck. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. Don't leave me, Ronnie, please."

Veronica ran her fingers lightly through his hair, once again feeling safe cradled in Logan's arms. "I'm not going anywhere."

--- VVV

The door to his room swinging open caught Keith's attention, but not as much as the tail end of the conversation his daughter was having. "Yes, Logan, I can't hide it from you any longer. I'm running away with Weevil. I'm having his love child. I didn't want to tell you, but you forced it out of me."

Keith heard the sarcasm in Veronica's voice, but the words still made him wince. "Not funny, Veronica. Don't give your old man a heart attack." She battered her eyelashes as she leaned over to kiss him.

Logan closed the hospital door behind him. "Consider yourself lucky. She's being spouting crap like that since I picked her up." He folded his arms across his chest. "She's mad because I won't tell her what the DA said. I wanted to wait to tell both of you together."

"That is incredibly untrue." Veronica dropped down in the visitor's chair, her bag falling to the floor with a thud. "This started when I told you Weevil found me a car."

"Eli found you a car already?" Keith asked with interest, then shook his head. "Don't answer that yet. I want to hear the story from the beginning." Keith missed them while they were gone. Oh, he always missed Veronica, but there was a certain energy when her and Logan were in the room, and he missed it. He glanced between the two of them. "Okay kiddies, who wants to go first and tell daddy about their day?"

Logan felt a surprising surge of warmth from the corny question. He liked being included in the Mars' family banter. It was different for him, but it was nice. He knew his news would put a damper on the mood, so he let Veronica go first. He swept his hand out in front of him. "The floor is yours, Miss Mars."

Veronica feigned surprise at such a gallant gesture. "Why thank you, Mr. Echolls." Then she dropped the act. "You're only being nice because you think there's going to be yelling."

"Yep," Logan popped the 'p' as he rocked back on his heels.

"Jackass." She even stuck out her tongue. Veronica physically turned her attention to her dad, giving Logan as much of her back as possible. "The car is officially totaled. The adjustor has to crunch the numbers, and I won't see a check for approximately three weeks, but the Le Baron is dead."

"Well, that's one thing to check off the list." Keith was glad the adjustor totaled the car. Getting it fixed would have been a waste. He never would have trusted the vehicle after so much work was done to it, meaning he wouldn't have felt comfortable letting Veronica drive it. "Are we coming to the part where I'm going to yell?"

Veronica chose to ignore the question for as long as she could. "Weevil's cousin works in the service shop of a car dealership. There's a Sebring convertible one of the salesman has been driving on-and-off, so they have to sell it used. It's black, with tan leather interior, just like the Le Baron, and it's only a year old. Weevil says it has less then six thousand miles on it. It'll cost more than what I'm going to get from the insurance company, so we'd need to dip into the reward money, but he says it's a really good deal."

Keith had no problem giving Veronica money for a newish car. He was considering turning in his Crown Vic for something new. "Still not hearing the yelling part."

"If I want it, I have to buy it this week. There's a lot of interest in it, and the salesman is holding it as favor for Weevil's cousin." So Logan was right; there was going to be yelling. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and rushed through her last sentence. "The dealership is in Vegas and Weevil has to be with me to pick-up the car." She waited for the yelling to begin. When it didn't, she tentatively opened one eye. "Daddy?"

Keith face was expressionless, and his voice held no emotion when he asked, "You want permission to go to Las Vegas with Eli Navarro?"

Veronica brightened with wide-eyed innocence, once again back to her cocky self. "I know how disappointed you'll be to miss the wedding, but I promise to get the best Elvis impersonator to marry us. And I'll take pictures, tons of pictures!"

"Once again, not funny." Keith rubbed his hand across his face, then looked over at Logan. "Is this what you were referring to?"

She was pushing both their buttons and she was doing it for fun, Logan knew that, but it didn't make the comments she made any easier to take. "In an earlier version she mentioned stripping as her new career goal."

Veronica caught the two men eyeing each other, silent communication uniting them against her. She immediately jumped up pointing frantically between her boyfriend and her father. "Okay, _this_ is not happening again. The two of you are _not_ ganging up on me. This is Logan, dad. Remember Logan? The teenage boy I'm living with without parental supervision. You don't like him."

Keith had to chuckle. It was so like his daughter. Tomorrow she'd be doing her best to convince him Logan was wonderful boy who would never think of taking advantage of the current living situation, but for now, she'd twist it for her own purposes. He was a concerned parent, not a jealous boyfriend, so he was willing to listen to her before vetoing the road trip. "What's your plan?"

Veronica settled back down, feeling in control once again. Dads and boyfriends were _not_ supposed to get along. Ever. "It's a five hour drive to Vegas. We can be there and back in one day. If Logan can keep his comments to himself - a huge if, I know - then the three of us can ride there together. Weevil and I can drive the car back with Logan following."

"You're not spending five hours alone in a car with him," Logan said possessively. "I don't care if I am driving right behind you."

Veronica found his attitude both extremely annoying and highly pleasurable. So much for her feminist thinking. "Fine. We'll ask Wallace to go too. I'll drive back with both of them. Happy? Four people to do something we only need two people to do. We can waste everyone's Saturday."

Keith nodded in agreement, although he did feel sorry for Wallace. Poor boy, locked in a car with Veronica, Logan and Eli for five hours. Someone was going to be buried in the desert. "Alicia said she'd stop by tonight. I'll ask her if Wallace can go." Keith turned to Logan. "Your turn, son."

Veronica was feeling generous. The discussion had actually gone better than she thought it would. She sat on the edge of the bed and gave Logan her chair.

Logan was quiet for a moment, gathering his thoughts. The entire situation was surreal. For so long he wanted the world to know the truth about Aaron, about the type of person his father really was, and now they would. But the shame Logan felt almost made him wish the truth had stayed buried. "They found more tapes. In Aaron's safe. Tapes that go back for years. And once they started watching them… well… The girls on some of the tapes look really young."

"Jesus," Keith muttered under his breath.

Logan swallowed hard, tried to keep down the bile that was rising in his throat. "The DA called the federal prosecutor, told him what they'd found. The feds are going to be here tomorrow to take over that part of the investigation. If any of the girls were under eighteen at the time Aaron slept with them, he could be charged with statutory rape and child pornography."

Both Keith and Veronica were stunned. Neither knew what to say. There was no physical evidence to link Aaron to Lilly's crime seen, only motive and opportunity, and with the right lawyer, the juror could be persuaded to vote not guilty. But federal charges? With tapes as proof? Aaron would be behind bars for a long, long time. Keith was the first to recover. "Why did they tell you? That doesn't sound right to me."

"They're assuming that I know most or at least some of the girls. They want my help identify them to make the investigation go faster." Logan dropped his head onto the back of the chair. "The arrogant bastard not only screwed under-age girls, but was stupid enough to tape it! He got away with so much shit for so long, he thought he was untouchable. But he's not going to be able to make this go away, no matter how much money he throws at it." He was doing his best to control his temper, but by god he wanted to hit someone, preferably Aaron. Several times and in places he knew would do the most damage.

Veronica slid off the bed and knelt next to Logan, taking his hands in hers. She knew he was anger - how could he not be? But she also knew he was hurting. "I'm sorry, Logan. I'm sorry you have to go through this."

Logan raised her hand to his lips, brushed a kiss across her knuckles. The sweet gesture totally opposite to the words he said next. "I wish the bastard was dead. I wish that crazy bitch at Christmas had killed him. I wish he'd jumped off the bridge instead of my mother. I know he's in this hospital and it's taking every once of self-control I have not to hunt him down and kill him myself." By the time he was finished speaking he was shaking in his seat.

Keith didn't comment about the language or the threat; it would be pointless and frankly, he didn't care. He had a few chose words of his own to describe Aaron's behavior. And four nights ago, seeing his daughter trapped in flames was enough to push him over the edge. But offering to help Logan murder his father wasn't an option. "Normally, if a boy my daughter dates mentions killing someone, I'd be a bit apprehensive. And truthfully, I wouldn't leave you alone in a room with Aaron, because I think you'd follow through a your threat. I understand your need for vengeance, Logan, I do, but you have to let the courts handle it now. Don't do something you'll regret later. Don't let Aaron destroy your life too."

Logan studied the older man lying in the hospital bed, thoroughly confused by him. "How can you trust her with me?" he asked a note of wonder in his voice, because he didn't understand at all. "I'm his son. How do you know I won't hurt her?"

For once Veronica remained silent, and Keith was grateful. There were many things he wanted to say to Logan, but he wasn't sure Logan was ready to hear them. Being in law enforcement Keith had seen his share of domestic violence and he knew the signs. Was Logan at greater risk to become an abuser? Yes. He'd been abused; it was part of the cycle. Did he think Logan needed to find another outlet for his anger? Yes. But he knew Veronica was already working on that. The trip to the gym had been an inspired idea. Did he think Logan needed to talk to a therapist? Yes. But Logan wasn't at a point where he'd be open to the suggestion. So for now, Keith settled on the short answer. "Honestly? I don't. But I told you, Veronica trusts you, so I'm giving you a chance. If you don't want to be like your father, you don't have to be. The decision is yours. You're a smart boy; you'll figure it out. And Veronica and I, we're here if you need us."

"That's it? That's all you have to say?" Logan _did not understand_. This was Keith Mars, the most protective father he'd ever met. There had to be more to it.

Keith sighed in pretend exasperation, making a show of it, so Logan wouldn't take him seriously. "You want me to threaten you? I can; I'm rather good at it. I have guns." He gave Logan a half-smile and a wink.

But Logan kept shaking his head in confusion. "I'm totally untrustworthy. I made her life hell at school. I get into fights all the time. I drink like -"

Veronica slapped her hand over his mouth before Logan could do anymore damage. "You're not under oath. Shut-up already. He's in a good mood. Go with it." She wiggled her eyebrows at him. "Besides, you do anything to me, and I'll lay you out before dad every gets to you. He has guns, but I have a taser. And a trained attack dog. You don't stand a chance."

Logan realized they were both laughing at him. He had no idea why, but he felt the corners of his mouth turn up in a smile too. This should have been one of the worst days in his life, but he felt good, and it was all due to Veronica and Keith. They seamlessly slid between serious and light-hearted at the drop of a hat. He'd never experienced a family like theirs. "You are the _strangest_ people."

Keith crossed his arms in front of him. "I'll take that as a compliment. What do you think, honey?"

Veronica rose from her spot next to Logan, stretching out her legs. "Definitely a compliment. I'll take strange over normal any day of the week, especially in Neptune. Have you seen the _normal_ people lately?" She shivered dramatically.

Logan grabbed her from behind and plopped her down in his lap. Veronica did a quick check with her dad to make sure it was okay, then she settled back against her boyfriend. "I was thinking," she began, and the two men groaned. Logan was closer, so she playfully slapped his shoulder. "How far do you think the reporters will go to get information? Last night, I had Mac upgrade the firewall protection on my computer. I was worried about the hotel wifi connection not being secure enough. I didn't want to take a chance since I'll be working on cases from the suite. And I didn't want anyone to hack into my personal e-mail either."

Keith could see exactly where the change in topic was going. "None of us have issued statements. You two are doing a fairly good job of avoiding the press. They've got to be chomping at the bit right about now. The news about the tapes will definitely push some of them over the edge." He was a little upset he hadn't thought of it, but damn proud of his daughter.

Veronica knew her and her dad were on the same page. "All it takes is one frustrated tabloid reporter. Bribe a maid or another member of the hotel staff. Have one of them slip it into the suite when we're not there."

Logan was confused again, but he was getting used to being completely bewildered around these two. "What are you talking about?"

Veronica turned to look at him. "If it was me, and I wanted the story bad enough, I'd bribe someone to bug the suite. Then I'd be able to listen in on everything that was said."

"Yeah, but that's you, sugarpuss." Logan tweaked the tip of her nose. "The reason for being at the Grand is security. To keep the reporters away. Now we have to worry about the hotel staff? What am I paying these people for?"

'These people'? Veronica let the elitist comment slide. He was such an '09er. "I know you're used to the press coming at you directly, but we're not giving them anything. There's been no public confrontation. You haven't thrown one punch or broken one camera. All they've gotten out of us is 'no comment'. They'll start to get creative, start to come at us sideways. Bugging the suite is illegal, but not difficult. You find one employee with money problems. You offer to solve those money problems if they do this one simple thing. You tell them it can never be traced back to them."

Keith had been developing a plan while Veronica explained the situation to Logan. "I want you to stop by Lawson's. Pick up two bug detectors, the best they have, put them on the company card. Scan the rooms every night. Scan the room service trays. Cancel the maid service, make it by request only. Scan when the maid is done. Talk to security; you want a daily log of every key swipe in and out of that room. Every key, even a master key, is coded. They can tell exactly who's been in there while you're gone. If security has a problem with it, tell them to contact Burrows. I'll call him after you leave, clear it with him."

"We should have been doing this from the beginning," Veronica mumbled, upset with herself for not thinking of it earlier.

"Buy a transmitter at Lawson's too," Keith continued. "We can always use another one. Set it up so Logan knows what the equipment does when it finds a bug. Train him on how to use the detector. Both of you need to be vigilant. And if you find something, don't touch it. Call security, then call Burrows. Let them deal with it."

"I'm living in a spy novel," Logan said absently.

"Ah, come on, Logan. It'll be fun!" Veronica patted his knee. "You keep saying you want to know more about what I do. Here's your chance!"

---TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**We're in This LoVe Together **

Logan dropped his arm to his side in exasperation as he turned to Veronica. "This is ridiculous," he said through clenched teeth.

Veronica slid off the bar stool where she was seated, doing her best to stay out of Logan's way and not critique his sub-standard 'sweeping' skills. "You have to learn to do it. Dad gets out of the hospital next week and I'll be going home. You need to know how the equipment works."

"I'm playing hide and seek with an electronic listening device, Veronica!" Logan's voice becoming louder in direct proportion to his growing annoyance. "This is ridiculous!" he reiterated.

Logan actually paid attention through the quick tutorial Veronica gave him on the equipment she purchased at Lawson's. And when she asked him to hide the bug in the suite so she could show him how the detector worked in a real-life situation, there were no complaints. But now it was his turn, and he was frustrated. The device was sensitive and Logan was rushing. The lights surged, pointing to the location of the bug, but by the time it happened, he'd moved, so he was constantly going in the wrong direction. He'd been running around in circles for the past twenty minutes, becoming more and more agitated, which secretly Veronica thought was cute. She bit her bottom lip in an attempt to mask her smile, but Logan's eyes narrowed and she knew she'd been caught. She cleared her throat, and tried once again to tell him what he was doing wrong. "You're moving too fast and you're not paying attention." She raised his arm, swinging it back and forth like he'd been doing. "You're not going to find it doing this." She slowed her movements. "This will get you better results."

Logan sighed, dropping his arm to his side once again. "You said the minute I turned on the stupid thing I'd know if there was a bug in here. Why do I have to know how to find it? If it beeps, I'll call you or your dad or Burrows, and that will be the end of it."

He had a valid point; Veronica knew that. The detector covered a wide enough range to encompass the entire suite, and when turned on, it would immediately alert him to the presence of a bug. But Veronica also knew Logan. Yes, if he found something he would call Burrows, but there would be lag time between the phone call and when the police arrived, and there was no way Logan would wait patiently. He'd get antsy and he'd want to find the bug himself. They were very much alike in that way. "Logan, trust me. Right now it's a game, but if it happens for real, you're going to be angry, and you're going to want to know exactly where that bug is. It'll be an invasion of your privacy and you won't be able to stand it." She looked up at him with imploring eyes. "Please do this. For me?"

Logan shook his head, muttering to himself about being manipulated by a midget blonde and her big blue eyes, but he started walking around the suite again. This time he paid close attention to the detector in his hand and mimicked Veronica's slower movements. He was rewarded for his efforts when the line of lights on the device surged from red to amber and the intermittent beeping picked up speed. As he passed his bedroom door, the lights surged higher, so he walked into the room. As he stepped closer to his bed, the lights went from amber to green. By the time he was at the head of the bed, the line of lights was solid and the beeping had turned into a constant high-pitched wail. He checked under the mattress, around his pillow, the headboard and the nightstand. Finally, he spotted the bug attached to the underside of the lampshade. He turned to see Veronica leaning against the doorframe. "Found it," he said proudly as he held it up for her inspection.

Veronica enthusiastically clapped her hands and smiled broadly. "I told you it wasn't difficult." Logan rolled his eyes as he dropped the detector and the bug on the nightstand. She stepped closer, wagging her finger at him. "You need to learn some patience."

Logan pulled her to him, loosely wrapping his arms around her waist. "Says the most impatient person I've ever met." He nuzzled her neck. "I found the damn thing, now where's my reward?"

Veronica hands were trapped between his body and hers, resting on his chest, but Logan wasn't expecting the shove, nor the strength she put behind it. He stumbled backwards, falling onto the bed and taking Veronica with him. She pressed her lower body into his, placing delicate kisses along the underside of his jaw as she spoke. "Reward? You were expecting a reward? What about pride in a job well done? Personal satisfaction? Shouldn't that be reward enough?" When she reached his earlobe, she gave a gentle tug. Logan moaned her name, and the next second, Veronica was under him instead of on top of him, but she didn't care. She was exactly were she wanted to be.

--- VVV

After dinner, they visited the hotel gym, where Logan took out the frustrations of the day on the heavy bag once again. His opinion of Aaron had never been high, and when he found out the man killed Lilly, he didn't think it could get any lower, but today's news only proved him wrong. The extra-marital affairs Logan knew about, and his mother had deluded herself too long in ignoring, had always been with younger women. Models, would-be actresses - the catering staff. Women in their twenties were Aaron's lay of choice. And that was bad enough, but the guy was fifty-four years old, sleeping with girls who barely knew how to drive! The more Logan thought about it, the more grossed out he became, and then the angrier he got.

Veronica sat against the wall opposite him, a book lying in her lap. She read, acting completely oblivious to the litany of curse words and accusations that spewed from Logan's mouth, and he was grateful. He didn't need to see her worried expression or deal with her trying to comfort him as he took out his aggression. When he was exhausted, but calm, then he'd appreciate her arms wrapped him. Her head lying on his chest. The way she ran her fingers through his hair as she whispered reassuring words in his ear. But right now, he just wanted to let the rage take over, to let it bubble up and spill out of him.

She trusted him - god only knew why - and her dad trusted her opinion of him, and both of them were willing to stick with him through the horror his life had become. It was unsettling to Logan to realize he needed them. It had been so long since he'd let himself need anyone. He missed his mother terribly, but he'd stopped needing her about the same time it dawned on him she knew Aaron beat him and she wasn't going to do anything to stop it. He couldn't rely on Trina for any type of emotional support, never could. She was too wrapped up in herself. And where once he might have leaned on Duncan, or at least used his best friend as a temporary escape from his problems, he knew those days were long gone. They were gone the minute Lilly was killed and Duncan turned into a shell of the person he used to be.

Oh, Dick was around, and Logan appreciated him, but he couldn't really talk to Dick. Not about the important stuff. And as Dick had pointed out on the phone a few days earlier, popularity and friendship within the '09er crowd was fleeting. His other so-called friends wouldn't be any help to him. For all his family's money, and his good looks and personality, Logan was very much alone.

Except for Veronica and Keith. And maybe Wallace, if Logan played his cards right. The boy's friendship with Veronica proved he was a stand-up guy who didn't desert his friends when they needed him, and didn't listen to other people's opinions. Not something Logan was used to, but something he definitely admired. He knew Wallace was only putting up with him because Veronica asked, but he thought the other night had turned out rather well. Wallace didn't abandon him to Dick's company and go searching for the girls. The guys had good time together, laughing and joking and playing around. Logan could see potential there.

And he liked Mac too. At least the little bit he'd seen of her. She'd been awfully quiet when she first arrived at the suite. It was obvious she was shy and introverted, not used to dealing with new people or new situations. But the way she'd stood up to him about Veronica's drunk state, even threatened him if he took advantage of her friend, proved there was more to Mac than she let on. And he found himself wanted to know what that more was.

He hoped he'd get the chance to find out. He hoped when the news broke about what the DA had found, Veronica's friends didn't start steering her away from him. Didn't suggest she was getting involved way too deep in problems that had nothing to do with her. Didn't point out the fact her boyfriend was raised by a murdering, abusive, womanizing pedophile. Didn't remind her of the verbal abuse he'd heaped on her for over a year. Didn't flat-out tell her being with Logan was a decision she'd soon regret.

--- VVV

An hour after going to bed, Veronica was still awake. It wasn't the nightmares keeping her that way, not this time. She'd final let herself think about what she'd done the night before. What she'd said. How she'd acted. The fact she'd partial revealed what happened to her at Shelley's party, and who she'd revealed it to. That morning, she was thankful Logan hadn't brought up the incident, and then she'd gotten caught up in the events of the day, too involved to think about the consequences of her drunk tirade. But now guilt and trepidation settled in the pit of her stomach. "I shouldn't have slapped Dick," she whispered quietly into the darkened room. She turned in Logan's arms, her eyes meeting his across the pillow. "What did you... tell him?"

Of course Logan wasn't asleep. He'd been waiting for Veronica to drift off before he did the same. He'd wondered if she'd bring up what happened with Dick, thinking maybe she'd relegate it to the vast number of topics that were off limits for discussion. His hand was on her waist and he gently prodded her closer to him. She curled up against him, burying her head in his shoulder. He kept his tone soothing, his voice low. "I told him about the GHB. I told him Beaver didn't... touch you. I told him you don't remember much about that night." It was a delicate subject, ripe with land mines, and he knew he'd step on a few before they were finished. "He was worried about you and he was sorry for happened. He's not stupid, Ronnie. Eventually, he's going to ask more questions."

"I know," she said honestly. She fisted her hand around the material on Logan's chest. "I screwed up, but I couldn't help it. I guess... I been wanting to... to confront him for weeks and I..." Veronica could hear the quiver in her own voice. "God, Logan, what have I done?"

Logan forced her to look up at him. "Don't you dare cry on me," he said teasingly. Veronica smiled weakly and he kissed the tip of her nose. "You had ever right to confront him. When you thought I was involved, you let into me. Doing it drunk might not have been the best idea, but it happened, and we'll deal with it." His eyes searched hers and his expression grew serious. "But, Ronnie, you've got to tell me what you want to do. How you feel about it. I did some terrible, stupid things that night too, but you forgave me. I'm getting the distinct impression you don't want to forgive Dick."

Veronica sat up to lean against the headboard, Logan following her. She played with the edge of the duvet while he waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts. When she finally spoke, each word was slow and deliberate. "Giving Duncan GHB was wrong, but it was perfect Logan logic and I understand it. And there's no way you could have anticipated what would happen, so you get a pass for that. The body shots were a horrible thing to do." She saw Logan wince out of the corner of her eye. "And if you ever even think about doing something like that again, to me or anyone else, I'll taser you, then pay Weevil and the PCHers to finish what the started the other night. No one deserves to be treated like that, I don't care how mad you are." Finally, she turned to look at him. "But I know you. You can be an absolute prick, but you wouldn't let anyone physically hurt me or any women. You trade insults with Trina and you'd love to see her publicly embarrassed, but you knew her boyfriend was hitting her and you had to stop it. Lilly," Veronica laughed nervously, "Lilly treated you like shit, but you never got physical with her. Ever. You yelled and screamed and punched a wall once, but you never got close to attacking _her_. And if I had remembered that - any of that - I couldn't have accused you of killing her."

Logan saw the regret in her eyes. He cupped the side of her face with his hand. "Veronica..."

She waved away his concern. It wasn't part of the current conversation. "But Dick... Dick _knew_ what was going to happen in that room, and he encouraged it. I was barely conscious and he gave me to his little brother like a gift. I know he thought I was drunk and acting like a slut, which from what I've heard, I probably was, but it doesn't excuse what he did. It's a lot more difficult to forgive."

All of Logan's guilt came rushing forward and his hand dropped from her face. If Dick had treated her like a _thing_, Logan was the one to blame for it. "I set the pattern. I made it acceptable for him to treat you like that." Veronica reached for him, but Logan pulled away. He slipped out of bed, started pacing the room. For the first time, he saw all the ways he was connected to what happened. "It's my fault, Veronica. It all leads back to me. If I hadn't treated you like crap, no one else would have dared. And I saw how wasted you were. I can count on one hand the number of times you've been drunk. I should have known something was wrong. Instead I gave Duncan crap about rescuing you, and then I put GHB in his drink to loosen him up!" He ran a shaky hand through his hair. "It was _my_ idea to buy the drugs in Mexico. _My_ idea to bring them to the party. Dick may have put you in that room, but _I'm _the one responsible for what happened."

"That's enough," Veronica said with authority. Sex between her and Duncan had been consensual, and although nothing that night happened in the manner which she would have wanted it, she wouldn't stand by and let Logan torture himself. It wasn't productive and it wouldn't change a damn thing. "You want to start playing the blame game, we'll start with me." Logan stopped his pacing to stare at her in disbelief. "I shouldn't have been at Shelley's to begin with. I knew I wasn't wanted and I went anyway. I shouldn't have drunk from a random glass passed to me at a party. I know better than that."

Logan vigorously shook his head. "No! No, you did _nothing_ wrong!"

"I'm not saying I did anything wrong, but I didn't do anything smart either." Veronica crawled to the edge of the bed until she was kneeling in front of him. Logan tried to back away, but she took his hands in hers before he could move. "If I had been raped, this conversations would be different. I'd be mad as hell at everyone, including you, and I'd want vengeance. Manipulating someone whose judgment is so obviously impaired is unconscionable! Even if it was alcohol and not drugs. Even if I'd _willingly_ gotten myself that plastered, no one had the right to take advantage of me!" She took a few deep breaths, letting her anger subside before she continued. "But I wasn't raped, so I'm doing my best to let it all go. I'm trying to focus on what actually happened and not the possible outcomes. Yes, I'm still angry. I have ever right to be. And it's going to take time for me to work through those emotions. But right now, there is one thing I'm sure of." She looked up from their joined hands, her gaze focusing on Logan. "No one, including me, made a good decision that night."

Logan was more than prepared to refute that statement, but the determination in Veronica's eyes gave him pause. For whatever reason, she was choosing to forgive him. He could argue his guilt until he turned blue, and it wouldn't make a difference. She'd already made up her mind. But he had to admit, he was more confused than ever. "If that's true - and I happen to think it's bullshit, but I'm letting it go for the moment. If that's true, then why are you so fixated on Dick?"

"Because he... because he's so..." A growl escaped from Veronica's throat as her anger came back full force. "Because he's so disinterested in anything that happens to anyone else! You regret what you did. Duncan was mortified. Even Beaver looked ashamed when I talked to him. But Dick? Dick laughed it off. He told me what a drunken slut I was. He said I came on to him, on to everybody." She knew she was yelling and she took another deep breath to calm herself again. "You say he's worried about me, but I don't believe you. And I don't believe he's sorry either. If he's upset, it's because you're upset. It has nothing to do with me. And nothing to do with what he did. That's why I'm still so damn mad at him!" She flopped back down on the bed, releasing Logan's hands. "I swear to god, him and Trina would make the perfect couple."

Dick and Trina dating? Logan suppressed both the laugh and the shudder that thought produced. He sat down on the bed, placed his hand on Veronica's knee. "I know I'm going to get in trouble for defending Dick. Not what he did that night," he said before she went off on him, "but how he reacted to it when you confronted him." He waited for Veronica to say something, but she remained quiet. "I know I can be a complete jackass, and you've experienced the full force of it more than once. But you know most of it is a front. Well, Dick has his front too. He's not as disinterested as you think. He might act like an idiot and yeah, sometimes you have to hit him over the head with things, but eventually he does get it. And last night, he finally got it. He's sorry, Ronnie. You might not believe it, but he is." Veronica's silence stretched on. Logan studied her, tried to decipher the emotions that passed through her eyes as her brain worked to process what he said.

Veronica studied Logan too. She could tell he believed what he was saying, and she had to admit there was a ring of truth to it. She'd known Dick for years. Longer than she'd known Logan. She'd been going to school with him since first grade. And two years ago it might have been easy to accept Logan's explanation for Dick's behavior. But whatever she thought she knew about a lot of people she at one time considered her friends, didn't hold true anymore. Not after Lilly's death. Not after her father was kicked out of office. Not after the year of hell she'd endured. "I wish I could believe you, but I don't trust him."

Logan laid down next to her, both their feet dangling off the end of the bed. "I'm not asking you to trust him. Trust is earned; I understand that. And I'm not asking you to forgive him either. But... if he tries to apologize, could you at least notice it? Maybe?"

Veronica turned on her side so she was facing him. "Don't dismiss it out of hand. Is that what you're asking?" Logan slowly nodded. Veronica sighed loudly. "I'll do my best, but I'm not promising anything."

Logan kissed the tip of her nose. "Thanks, sugarpuss." He grabbed her hand and hauled her up with him to the top of the bed. "And now, I think it's time we get some sleep. Big day tomorrow." Veronica groaned as her head hit the pillow. Logan pulled the covers over them, settled down behind her. "I know you want to keep me all to yourself, but you have to learn to share." Veronica reached behind her to smack him on the head.

--- VVV

Logan glanced over for what had to be the hundredth time to see Veronica still tapping her fingers against her thigh. He directed his attention back to the road. "Why are you nervous? Your dad didn't kill anyone."

They'd made an early morning detour to the hospital before heading to school, where Keith informed both kids about his expectations for the day. Logan had nodded his head and agreed, and Veronica was sure he had the best of intentions, but she knew - she just _knew_ - before the day was over, there was going to be a fight. "Don't hit anyone. I don't care what they say, you can't hit anyone."

Logan chuckled as he pulled into the Neptune High parking lot, almost running over a group of reporters and paparazzi situated off campus, and the police stationed to keep them off school grounds. "I already got this speech from Keith."

"Yes, but I'm not sure you actually heard him." Veronica looked around, taking note of the stares Logan's XTerra was receiving. Oh good, there was pointing too. And she was sure whispers. She reached over and gave Logan's free hand a reassuring squeeze, more for her own benefit than his. He was acting so calm, and that scared her. He spent his entire life in the public eye, and after his mom died, he experienced his share of ridicule, but this was different. She knew from personal experience that '09er loyalty turned on a dime. If he thought his friends would welcome him with open arms, she was positive he was in for a rude awakening.

Dick told Logan to expect an icy reception from the '09ers, so he was prepared. The best way to survive was to act like nothing was wrong. Any change in his normal attitude would only encourage his friends to attack. He'd take the comments thrown at him, throw some of his own back. He'd ignore the people freezing him out and concentrate on whoever was still talking to him. Really, it wasn't that different from any other day. His only real concern was Duncan, and he'd just have to wait to see how that would play out.

That didn't mean it would be easy. Logan knew the stakes were high, knew better than Veronica or her dad. He had a private chat with Cliff about money and custody and a few other things. Once the new charges were laid against him, the possibility of Aaron getting bail would be close to nil. Logan was seventeen and if he was lucky, Trina would be made his temporary guardian. If she wasn't, they'd talked about the possibility of emancipation. That would at least give him access to the inheritance his mother had left him until his trust fund kicked in. His parents had set up an account for Logan, more of a tax shelter than anything else. Logan had done some on-line research, had called Aaron's accountant. Aaron might be able to stop new funds from going into the account, but he couldn't take money out of it. What was there would be Logan's once he turned eighteen. Same for his college fund. It wasn't the millions he was used to, but it was a tidy sum and Logan could make it last.

But Cliff was adamant that Logan's behavior had to change. If Social Services decided to take more than a passing interest in him, every stupid thing he did in the past would come into question. And any new stupid things he did would carry more weight. No ditching school. No fights. No drunken arrests. No arrests period. He had to clean up his act. "Ronnie, it's going to be fine. Everything's going to be fine." She shot him a disbelieving look. "Okay, it's going to be shit, but we're going to get through it together. Stick by me until class starts. I'll see you at lunch and in journalism, and then we'll go back to the hospital after school. And I promise not to let some loud-mouth jerk goad me into kicking his ass."

Veronica ground her teeth together in frustration, but instead of commenting, she pointed. "There's Wallace. He's saving us a spot up front."

Wallace moved the orange parking cone so Logan could pull-in. Where the cone came from Logan wasn't sure. He shut off the engine, then turned to Veronica. "Wait here." He jumped out of the car, ran around to the other side, and opened her door. He held out his hand. "M' lady."

Veronica rolled her eyes, but a slight blush crept up her cheeks. "You're such a ham," she said as she let Logan help her out of the SUV. Instead of releasing her hand when her feet touched the ground, he laced his fingers with hers. With her free hand, Veronica settled the strap of her messenger bag on her shoulder. Before she could once more reiterate the 'no hitting' rule, they were surrounded by people. Dick and Beav came up on their right, Mac, Wallace and Meg on their left. Veronica smiled brightly. "Look, Logan, our own personal welcoming committee!"

Veronica felt a hand clasp around her shoulder. She tensed for second until she heard Weevil's voice behind her. "We thought you could, ah, use a little company."

She glanced at him. "Were ya'll worried about little old me?" she asked as she batted her eyelashes. Then she felt Logan's hand slip from hers. She turned quickly to see him taking a few steps away from the group, Dick's arm slung around his shoulder. She frowned, but focused back on her friends. "Seriously guys, what's going on?"

Wallace leaned back against the side of the SUV, attempting to appear casual, but his voice was filled with concern. "Your dad called Clemmons yesterday to let him know the two of you were coming back. Somehow, the entire school found out. And the reporters have been camped out since the story broke. I didn't want you getting ambushed in the parking lot. Meg, Mac and me, we thought we should walk in with you guys."

"Not that you can't take of yourself," Mac added quickly, knowing how annoyed Veronica got when the men in her life tried to protect her without asking first. "But we thought you'd like to see a few friendly faces before facing the firing squad."

Meg nodded in approval. "After all, you'd be here for us if we needed you." Meg's sunny disposition was firmly back in place, with no trace of the crying girl from two days ago. She'd accepted what happened, was grateful for Veronica's continued friendship, and wanted to support her friend any way she could.

It was Beaver's turn to step forward, his hands shoved into the pockets of his cargo pants, not completely comfortable that his brother had left him alone with people he barely knew. "When Dick and I got here, Logan's locker was covered with tabloid pictures. We took them down, and Casey's watching to make sure no more are put up, but Dick wanted to be out here, in case anything else happened."

Veronica took it all in, the words she heard, the distant flashes from the paparazzo's cameras, the other students hovering a little closer than necessary, obviously dying to catch a snippet of conversation. It was pretty much what she'd expected, but that didn't mean she had to like it. She cocked her head towards Weevil. "And you? What's your excuse?"

The biker smiled at her slyly. "Just settling my debts, V. I think this makes us about even again." Then the smile fell and he took a step closer, lowering his voice. "My guys are gonna be watching out today. Something happens and none of us are around, you go to one of them. You'll be safe."

Weevil's concern shook Veronica more than the others. If he was worried enough to get his gang involved... What didn't she know that he did? But before she could ask, Logan and Dick rejoined them, and the hard look in Logan's eyes captured her full attention. He walked like he didn't have a care in the world, all loose limbs and wide, snarky smile. But his eyes... his eyes told an entirely different story. Whatever Dick had said to him, and she was sure it was about more than pictures on his locker, it had upset him. She knew he wouldn't talk to her in front of the others, so she pushed her questions aside. "We need to drop by the office before class," she reminded him, as she linked hands with him again.

Logan's first instinct was to put Veronica back in the car and drive as far away from Neptune as possible. It seemed not even Burrows or the DA could keep a lid on the Aaron Echoll's case. Dick told him rumors were already circulating that more tapes were discovered. No one mentioned under-aged girls yet, but Logan knew it wouldn't be long. The only good information Dick passed along was that Duncan wasn't in school. Celeste and Jake were keeping him out for the rest of the week. "Then we should get going."

The group proceeded through the parking lot, Dick and Beav going first, the look on Dick's face daring anyone to approach. Wallace, Mac and Meg flanked the blonde couple with Weevil bringing up the rear. Veronica would have made a sarcastic comment about the formation, if they gesture wasn't so sweet. As they entered the school, all talk in the halls stopped, and for thirty seconds it was eerily quiet before the buzz of gossip began. Veronica glanced up at Logan to see his reaction. He smiled down at her, his grasp on her hand tightening. She smiled back, still wishing she knew what Dick had said to him. Their friends made idle conversation around them. And for a moment, Veronica let herself believe it would be okay.

And then the insults started.

"Hey, Echolls! This girlfriend doing your dad too?"

"No way he didn't know. He probably got off watching them together."

"Did your mom really killer herself or did your dad off her?"

"I heard it was a three-some. Lilly, Echolls, and his dad."

"No way, man. Lilly, his dad, and his mom! She was hot!"

"Now he's so hard up for action, he's screwing Mars. Moved from one slut to another."

"If I was her, I'd be worried. He's gotta be just like his old man."

Logan cringed. 'Just like his old man.' The only accusation that actually struck a cord. His hand bawled into a fist, his rage boiling under the surface, clawing to break free. 'Just like his old man.' Dick looked back at him, waiting for the signal to start shoving bodies into lockers. 'Just like his old man.' Logan promised Keith; he promised Veronica. Cliff warned him off the consequences. 'Just like his old man.' He wanted to hit someone. Needed to hit someone. Needed to so something to release the anger inside before he exploded!

Suddenly, he stopped. Mac, Wallace and Meg took a one step, then halted. Dick grabbed his brother's arm to stop his progress. Weevil bumped into them. Everyone held their breath to see what would happen next.

Logan turned to Veronica, the apology already in his eyes. "I'm sorry, but I _need_ to do this."

"Wha-" was all she got out before his mouth descended on hers. She was surprised at first, but it only took her seconds to respond. She dropped the messenger bag from her arm and fisted her hands in his hair, drawing him closer. Logan grasped her hips and pulled her tight against his body. He dipped his tongue into her mouth and she welcomed it. Veronica heard the catcalls, comments and clapping in the distance. Weevil specifically drawing out the word 'daaaaamn' in half-compliment, half-astonishment. But she ignored it all. Whatever the reason Logan decided to 'grope' her in public, Veronica understood. Whether he needed to lay claim to her, or he needed reassurance, or he needed to block out the world around them, she wouldn't fight him. It was going to be a long day, and a little PDA might help both of them get through it.

When Logan finally pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers, took several deep breaths of needed air. "I just remembered I didn't kiss you this morning." he whispered so only she could hear, his hands still splayed possessively across her back, all the anger drained from his body.

Veronica's hands slipped to his shoulders, her nails digging in, letting him know she was affected as he was. "You know, I was feeling a little neglected." Logan smiled down at her, the mischief back in his eyes, and she relaxed. She slid away from him, turning to Meg who had recovered her messenger bag from the floor. "Thank you," she said happily as she slung it back on her arm.

Logan's actions had temporarily stunned the crowd. There was still talk, but the insults had stopped, reverting back to whispered gossip. People had heard that Logan and Veronica were together, but no one expected the way he publicly and officially announced it.

Wallace looked between the two of them, shaking his head, resigned to the fact that Logan Echolls wasn't going away anytime soon. His best friend just let the guy make a spectacle of her and she was smiling. "You two should come with some kind of a rating. I know I'm not old enough to see what you just did." It was as bad as catching their parents making-out, coming in a close second on the creep-o-meter.

Mac arched her eyebrow, tapped one finger on her chin, looking thoughtful. "It was quite a show. You should consider charging next time."

"Hell yeah! I'd pay to see it." Dick winked at Veronica, and she did her best not to smack the lecherous smirk off his face.

"Well, I thought it was sweet," Meg scoffed at all them. "It nice to see a guy who's willing to show affection in public."

"Affection? Is that what you call it?" Weevil gave Veronica a look similar to Dick's. "Because to me it looked more like -"

"_Don't_ finish that sentence," Veronica threatened. She smoothed her hair back into place. Ran a finger along her lower lip to check for lipstick smudges. "If everyone is finished with their critique, I'd like to get my books out of my locker."

Logan dropped a quick kiss on the top of her head, before dragging her the rest of the way down the hall.

---TBC

One side note: I think what Dick did was wrong. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! And I hope I effectively communicated that through Veronica. I am in no way endorsing what he did, nor did I think he should get away with it with only a slap on the wrist. NO ONE SHOULD EVER TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A DRUNK GIRL!! But I like the character and I have plans for him, so I had to create a plausible way for Veronica to at least tolerate him. I also believe that the way that night was portrayed on the show, there were several people who could have stepped in to stop events from unfolding the way they did. As I wrote, everyone made bad decisions. And although I'm inclined not to give spoilage about this story, I will say in my universe, Veronica was not raped by Beaver. She had sex with Duncan and no one else. The Cassidy story line always creeped me out and I'm not going there.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**A Little LoVe, A Little Kiss**

Veronica made lists. Questions she wanted to ask the doctor about her dad's recovery. Items she needed to bring with her for the upcoming road trip to Vegas. Things she planned to do over the summer. Steps she needed to take to close her few remaining open cases. Movies she missed at the theater and wanted to rent on DVD.

Veronica made lists so she could ignore what was going on around her. Over the past year she'd grown accustomed to the unwanted attention she drew from her fellow students, most who had never spoken to her, but still held distinct opinions about her and her life. At least, she thought she was accustomed to it. What she failed to remember was the intensity of those first few days after her dad was thrown out of office. When the insults were original so she hadn't yet developed a standard come back. When the scrutiny radiating from people's eyes hadn't been diminished by the intrusion of their own problems. When the scandal was fresh and new and people were salivating for juicy bits of gossip. When everything that was said ripped into wounds that hadn't had time to heal.

Veronica made lists to distract her mind from thinking about Logan. It seemed a public make-out session between two of Neptune Highs most notorious archenemies scored high on the gossip meter. They'd managed to get their books out of their lockers and make it to Clemmons office before the insults started again, but Veronica knew it wouldn't last. If the comments getting thrown at Logan were anything like what was getting thrown at her - and they had to be just as bad if not worse; it was high school after all - he was going to lose control of his temper. He only had a tentative grasp on to begin with. Pushed too far, the warnings he'd received from her and her dad wouldn't mean a thing. If he wasn't suspended for fighting by the end of the day, it would be a miracle.

Veronica made lists because Duncan wasn't being forced to go through this along side them. Wallace was in the office when Jake Kane made the call to Clemmons, and her best friend passed along the news of Duncan's absence for the rest of the week. It was such a typical Kane move. She was sure Celeste was already forcing pills down Duncan's throat, turning him into a zombie again in an attempt to protect him. Did Veronica want to be in school? No. But her dad was right. Her and Logan had to get it over with at some point; the sooner the better. So no, she wasn't jealous that Duncan got to stay home. She was pissed! They were taking the brunt of it, her and Logan, and Duncan would slide in next week long after the dust settled. It was cowardly and she was disappointed in him. Just like she was disappointed in how he broke-up with her the year before. And disappointed in how he pulled the same stunt with Meg. And disappointed that in the past three days he hadn't made one phone call to check on her, or her dad, or Logan. She'd left him a message on his cell Sunday night and he had yet to call her back.

Veronica made lists because she was worried. She didn't know what Dick said to Logan that morning to upset him. She didn't know why Weevil found it necessary to put the PCHers on stand-by. She didn't know how long it would take for her dad to fully recover from his injuries. She didn't know where her mother had run off to this time. She didn't know when Dick would start asking questions about that night. She didn't know how much more Logan could take before he completely broke. She didn't know how many more nights she'd close her eyes to find herself locked in a freezer with flames surrounding her. She didn't know if she could put Lilly's memory to rest and finally move on with her life.

--- VVV

When the bell rang signally the end of morning classes and her escape to lunch, Veronica was relieved. She approached her locker, mentally making a list of the books she'd need for afternoon classes. When an arm snaked around her waist, she flinched and pulled away before she realized who it was.

Logan stared down at her, his face a mixture of hurt and confusion. "What? I'm not allowed to touch you in public?"

"I think you got the answer to that question earlier," Veronica teased him. She took his arm and settled it back in place around her, then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'm a little jumpy, that's all."

Logan pulled her closer as they walked the additional five feet to her locker. His morning hadn't been any better than hers. For the majority of the student body it was open season on Logan Echolls. To distance himself from the insults and comments, he started assigning points. The more creative, the more points. He used a one-to-ten scale, and so far the highest score was a six. It saddened him to realize the lack of originality and style in his fellow classmates. "But you're okay, right? No one's said anything too far out-of-line?"

Veronica heard Logan's concern, but she also heard an edge of displeasure and decided it was time for a half-truth. The last thing she wanted was Logan getting angry on her behalf. "I traded barbs with you for over a year, pretty boy. This is amateur hour. When someone says something worth remembering, I'll let you know." She dialed her combination and opened the locker. "What about you? Anything memorable to report?"

Logan played with the hem of the back of her shirt. "It's been fairly tame." And that was an understatement. The rest of the student body might be reveling in Logan's current situation, but as Dick had predicted, the '09ers were being uncharacteristically silent. Out of all the slings and arrows shot his way, not one had come from his friends. They might laugh at something said, but they weren't initiating the ridicule. He wished they'd just start already; the anticipation was killing him. He needed a distraction. Thankfully, his favorite distraction was right in front of him. He slid his hands around her waist. "And I haven't come close to hitting anyone. I think I deserve a reward," he whispered in her ear.

"We talked about this yesterday. Personal satisfaction. That should be reward enough." Veronica tried to appear unaffected, but it was all a lie. She felt the weight of his chest pressed against her back, the strength of his fingers through the cotton of her shirt, and a warm glow spread through her entire body. It happened every time Logan touched her. Humans were meant to be touched, and she'd been alone for too long. She didn't realize how desperately she'd missed it until it was given so freely. Given so freely by a man who could too easily associate touch with memories of abuse. Of course she'd never tell Logan, because she knew he'd twist it around until all he heard was pity in her words. But it wasn't pity, never pity. Buried beneath the snark and the anger was a man so gentle, so caring, so protective. She was in awe of him. Veronica turned to face him, her books forgotten as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She tried for sarcasm, but the words came out soft and yielding. "I'll buy you a Snickers from the cafeteria."

Logan's mouth was centimeters from hers. "Not in the mood for chocolate. I was hoping for something sweeter." He nipped at her bottom lip. "Hotter." He looked deep into her eyes and...

Students roamed the halls, books were carelessly dropped to the floor, locker doors were slammed shut. Logan registered none of it, as a thought that had been drifting in the back of his mind decided to make its presence known. It wasn't a flash of realization, more a final acceptance of a truth he'd somehow managed to avoid for... forever. Something so true, so certain, he couldn't deny it even if he tried. He waited for the fear, the doubt, the disbelief. He even waited for Lilly's ghost to smack him, angry at what she might perceive as a betrayal of her memory. But he felt nothing but a peaceful calm settle over him, even as the impossible thought grew and grew, and pushed aside all other thoughts, until it was the only thought, the _only_ thought, until finally, _finally_, it echoed inside, bouncing around his head and his heart and his soul.

"Logan?" Veronica whispered tentatively.

He heard her uncertainty and was suddenly aware he hadn't moved or spoken. Their lips were still poised close together, but not actually touching. And the kiss he wanted to take, he now needed her to give, because he had so much to give her in return. It was too soon to tell her; she'd run from him. He was as certain of that as he was of how he felt, but he needed her to give him... hope. Just a little hope that maybe she was tipping her toe in the pool of emotion into which he'd just dove headfirst. Because if he was alone in this, if it wasn't even in the perimeter of her vision, if she didn't see the possibility, he knew it would destroy him. "Kiss me, Ronnie," he said, more plea than command, afraid if he didn't do something soon, the words would burst out before he could stop them. But he thought them; he thought them over and over again.

_I'm in love with you._

---TBC

Short chapter, I know, but I had to get it out there. Review! Review! Review!


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**LoVe in the Time of Hate**

Veronica held the cool, wet paper towel to the back of her neck, completely dazed and disoriented by the kiss she'd just shared with Logan. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. "Two public make-out sessions? In the halls of Neptune High? On your first day back to school? What are you _thinking_?" She took a few deep breaths and waited for answers she knew would never come, then she hopped up on the bathroom sink, needing one more minute to herself before she joined Logan for lunch.

It was the best kiss they had ever shared. The best kiss she'd ever shared with anyone. Hands-down, move to the front of the line, chalk it up in the record books, Best Kiss Ever. Her eyes crossed, her knees went weak, her heart sped up like she was running a marathon. She could swear she heard frinkin' music playing in her head! And when Logan finally let her go, and she saw how difficult it was for him to release her, he stared at her, as if he was seeing her for the first time.

She banged the back of her head against the mirror. Ugh! There she was, being all cliche-girl again. But, god, it was so true!

Something had changed. Veronica couldn't put her finger on it, but _something_ had changed. Even though he'd asked her to kiss him, the second their lips touched, Logan had taken control. And there was a... a desperation in his kiss, almost like he was trying to tell her something without words.

The detective in her, that nagging little junior PI who always needed to know the truth, wanted to ask him what he was thinking. But her girl instincts, and sometimes she swore most of them died when Lilly did, told her it wasn't the time to push. So she didn't. And it wasn't because she respected Logan's privacy - please! And it wasn't because she thought Logan wouldn't tell her. No, she hadn't asked because she was afraid he _would_ tell her. And whatever was going on inside his head, she wasn't sure she was prepared to deal with it.

But the kiss... Ooooh... the kiss was incredible. And definitely something she'd like to do again. Soon. With less people around. And maybe, if she didn't freak out, fewer clothes involved.

Of course, she wasn't sure about that either. It was probably just her hormones talking.

--- VVV

After a small argument, it was decided that Logan would sit with the '09ers and Veronica would sit at her usual lunch table. Things were bad enough, he didn't need to agitate his friends by dissing them at lunch, and there was no way in hell she was eating with Madison Sinclair. That left them with one option.

Logan walked her to her table where Wallace was waiting. He said hey, and shifted nervously while she explained that he wouldn't be eating with them. Wallace seemed to understand, and as soon as Logan knew he hadn't lost points with Veronica's best friend by ditching them, he joined the '09ers. Dick and Beav had saved him a seat and he slid in between the two brothers. Someone had ordered Chinese; Logan wasn't sure who. He grabbed an eggroll, absently ate it, and paid no attention to the conversation going on around him.

Truthfully, Logan didn't put up too much of a fight about the lunch arrangements. He needed a little distance from Veronica before he accidentally blurted out the one sentence that still occupied most of his brain functions. He'd seen the way she looked at him after they kissed, could almost hear the question poised on the tip of her tongue. And god knew if she'd asked, he wouldn't have been able to hold it in. But she'd didn't, so he didn't, and now he needed to find a way not to until she was ready to hear it.

Christ! He was in love with her. What the hell was he supposed to do with that piece of information? He couldn't tell her. He couldn't. First off, there were way too many other things going on, and if told her, they'd have to _deal _with it. He'd have to _explain_. Try to _convince_ her. She'd say it was too soon, and then he'd have to admit he thought it was something that had been there for quite a while. As in years. That it might be one of the reasons he'd felt so betrayed when she told Lilly about him kissing that other girl. Because he loved her. And she'd ratted him out. To his girlfriend. No, that wouldn't be an awkward conversation at all.

Then there was the whole running thing. Because Veronica was a runner. A sprinter. She'd be gone before he finished the sentence. She'd stay in the hotel suite until her father was released from the hospital, but Logan's bedroom privileges would definitely be revoked. And when she did move back home, she'd use every means possible to avoid him. Logan was open with his emotions; he always had been. His prominent emotion being anger, but still. Veronica on the other hand, liked to keep her emotions tucked away, and if told her how he felt, she'd bury them even deeper. She was scared of getting hurt again, he knew that, especially by him. Any mention of the word love would terrify her.

Logan owned up to the fact he was a little terrified too. Veronica kept assuring him she wanted to be with him, but Duncan still worried him. If Mr. I'm-Not-Your-Brother-After-All made a play for her, Logan knew he didn't stand a chance. And Duncan making a play was almost a forgone conclusion. Meg was doing a fine job of announcing to the world exactly how her ex felt about Veronica. If Logan admitted how he felt and then lost her, it would hurt too much. It was going to hurt enough when it eventually happened. No need to let her know how invested he was.

Someone bumped into him. The guy mumbled an apology; Logan barely noticed. But it did pull him out of his own head long enough to see Madison staring at him. "What?" Logan asked harshly.

Madison tilted her head and pouted, a move that could get Veronica anything she wanted, but only made the other girl look constipated. "So," she started slowly. "You and Veronica? That's a joke, right? I mean, I know what you said at that party a few weeks ago, but you weren't serious."

Logan noticed quite a few ears perk up and conversation die down around him. Seemed everyone was interested in his love life. "What I said at my house still stands. Anyone who's got a problem with Ronnie isn't someone I need to know. She's my girlfriend, and nobody talks bad about my girlfriend." There was no mistaking the threat that lay beneath his words.

Madison's lip curled in disgust. "But she's, like, Veronica Mars. And you hate Veronica Mars. You're the President of the I Hate Veronica Mars Club." She leaned over so her top gaped open. "Come on, Logan. You can tell us the truth. What kind of game are you playing?"

Logan kept his eyes locked on Madison's face, purposely ignoring the free show she intended to give him. "You know what they say, Maddie. There's a thin line between love and hate." He smirked, quirked an eyebrow. "Why are you so interested in who I date? Trust me, you'd never make the list."

Madison quickly righter herself, visibly stung by Logan's comment. "As if I'd date the son of a murderer," she said, doing her best to look repulsed instead of resentful, and failing miserable. Then she hopped up from the table and strutted away.

Logan smiled at her retreating form. He could always count on Madison to open a can of worms. He slowly looked around the table, noticed no one would make eye contact with him, not even Dick or Beaver. He hated it, hating the waiting, and all the bitterness he felt earlier came crashing back in on him. "Ah, come on, guys. Just say what you're thinking. My dad killed Lilly. My dad slept withher, videotaped it, and then killed her." Logan stood up, his voice growing louder the angrier he became. "My dad _fucked_ my girlfriend, videotaped it, then killed Jake and Celeste's little girl. See? It's not that difficult. I bet there are a hundred different ways you can say it." His outburst had caught the attention of the entire quad by now. Lunches were forgotten as all eyes fixed on him. He hit the table with his fists, scattering flatware and paper plates, spilling someone's drink. "Just do it! Get it over with! Say what your thinking! Grow a pair and stop waiting around for Duncan's _fucking_ approval!" He caught sight of Veronica, knew she was seconds away from coming to him. If she tried to comfort him, he'd breakdown, and he refused to do that in the middle of the quad. He stormed off before she could get the chance.

Veronica threw her notebook into her messenger bag, intent on following Logan wherever he went, but Wallace's hand on her arm stopped her. "Don't go after him."

Veronica wrenched her arm away. "Are you _nuts_? Did you not _see_ what just happened?"

"Yeah, I saw it." Wallace stepped in front of her, blocking her path. "You know what else I saw? I saw him look at you, and go in the opposite direction. If he wanted you, he would have walked over here. It's obvious he wants to be alone." She tried to side step him and Wallace grabbed her arm again. "Veronica! Listen to me! Leave him alone! It's what he wants!"

She watched Logan slam through the doors of the school, and her heart broke for him. But he never turned around, never glanced back in her direction. She stopped straining against Wallace and slumped back down to her seat. "You're right. I know you're right. But I can't stand to see him in that much pain and not do anything."

Wallace sat down beside her, his hand on her arm for support, not restraint. "At least he got to handle it on his own terms. He stood up to them. He didn't hide from it. You've got to be proud of him." Hell, he was proud of Logan. It took guts to do what he'd done, calling out his friends like that. And Wallace developed a little more respect for Logan Echolls.

Veronica shot a murdering glance at the '09er table. They were all hurriedly talking now and she could see the looks of absolute glee of their faces. To them Logan's emotional outburst was nothing more than something to gossip about, to laugh at. They were enjoying it! He was in pain and they were enjoying it. "Bunch of back-stabbing bastards. I can't believe I used to think those people were my friends. Any of them hurt him and I _will_ make them regret it."

Wallace chuckled. "Now that's more like it. That's the girl the brotha likes to see." The corner of Veronica's lip turned-up in a half-smile. Wallace pulled her head down to his shoulder. "He's gonna to be alright, Veronica. He's got you in his corner. He doesn't need anything else."

--- VVV

Veronica was nervous and pre-occupied for the rest of lunch. Her eyes flitting to the school doors, looking for any sign of Logan, but he didn't return, and she started questioning the wisdom of not going after him in the first place. Then, about fifteen minutes before the end of the period, she got a text-message. She checked the ID and smiled with relief. It was Logan. She flipped open her phone. _Girl's locker room_. She typed in a quick reply, then beamed at Wallace. "It's Logan. I gotta go."

Wallace waved her on. "Well, yeah. Get the hell out of here." He watched her practically run through the quad, while he shook his head and smiled.

As she walked through the hallway she vaguely wondered why Logan had picked the girl's locker room and not her 'office' for their meeting. Of course, there was no PE class scheduled after lunch, so maybe he wanted a place he knew was going to be deserted for a while. She had no problem skipping French to spend time with him, not if he needed her. She might even suggest skipping the rest of the day. Her dad would just have to understand. She pushed the door to the locker room open and called his name. "Logan?" She looked around, walked passed the line of lockers. "Logan, where are you?" she asked, her worry and concern evident.

She was completely unprepared for the hand that grabbed her wrist, twisted her arm behind her back, and slammed her against the concrete wall. "Sorry, Veronica," the threatening voice said from behind her. "I'm afraid Logan's not here right now." Her messenger bag was quickly stripped off her arm and thrown across the room before she had time to register what was going on. "It's just you and me, baby."

Veronica turned her head to see Tad Wilson looming over her. The last time she'd seen the '09er, he was taped to the flagpole and she'd ripped the bandage off his shoulder, exposing his new, unauthorized tattoo to the world. This was not good. Not good at all. She tried to grasp at him with her free hand, hoping to jab her nails into whatever exposed skin she could find, but he was staying far enough to her left that she couldn't reach him. "Whatever you have planned, you're not going to get away with it."

She felt Tad's free hand roam over her thigh and suppressed the urge to gag. "Now see, the first thing most girls would do is scream for help. But not you." His hand drifted higher, under the front of her shirt. "Not the great Veronica Mars." He dug his fingers into the tender flesh of her stomach. "What do I have to do to make you scream? Make you beg?"

A wave of panic washed over her and Veronica tried to push it aside, but it was difficult. Her taser was in her messenger bag, far out of reach. She'd told Wallace she was meeting Logan, but didn't tell him where she was going. None of her friends were in her French class, so no one would miss her when she didn't show up. And the locker room was practically sound proof and deserted for the next hour. She was on her own. But she only needed to get away from him for a second. Just a second and she could lung for her bag. "I don't beg!" She braced her legs, pushed back from the wall with everything she had.

But Tad was prepared for her. He slammed her back again, her forehead hitting the wall so hard, she grew dizzy. "You ruined my life, Veronica."

Oh god, the way he said her name. He sounded so much like Aaron. She couldn't pass-out. No matter what happened she couldn't pass-out. She couldn't be unconscious, completely at his mercy. Two images fused in her mind. Waking up in Shelley's guest bedroom and waking up in the freezer. She couldn't let it happen again.

He pulled her back and slammed her against the wall once more. She heard her shirt rip as her body scraped down the concrete. His mouth was close to her ear and she could feel his hot breath an her cheek. "You're going to pay, you nosy bitch!" he spat.

"Get off of her, Wilson!" Veronica heard another voice say. Unfortunately as familiar as the voice was, it didn't inspire confidence, despite his words.

Tad tensed behind her, then turned to see the intruder and relaxed. "Echolls isn't here, you don't have to pretend. You hate this slut as much as I do. You know she deserves it. Turn around and walk out."

"No!" Veronica cried out in fear. Tad shoved her hard into the wall as punishment, but she didn't care. This was her only chance. "Please!" and she was begging, like Tad had wanted.

Dick took a menacing step closer, his hands fisted at his sides. "You can let her go or I can make you let her go. Your choice."

"Fuck you!" Tad yelled.

And then Veronica was thrown across the room, Tad's nails dragging along her wrist and down her hand as he tried to keep a hold of her. She landed on her hip. The same hip she'd landed on three days earlier when she scaled the fence at Logan's house. The same hip she'd bruised in her fight with Aaron. She groaned in pain as she scurried away from the two boys fighting in front of her, searching for her messenger bag and realizing she'd have to get passed them to get to it, to get to her taser, to get out.

Fortunately, that wasn't going to be necessary. Tad was no match for Dick and the fight lasted only long enough for Dick to land two solid punches to Tad's midsection and one powerful punch to his jaw. Tad was grappling for control, but it was a lost cause.

And then another voice filled the room. "A party and I wasn't invited?" Veronica saw Weevil, and she half cried - half laughed as her body sagged in relief. Weevil gave Dick a passing glance. "You got that?" he said as walked passed him and headed straight for Veronica.

"Yeah, I got it." Dick slammed Tad up against the wall, held him there by his throat as the beaten boy continued to struggle.

"Keep him there for a second." Weevil crouched down in front of Veronica, his voice filled with concern. "You okay, V?"

"Oh god, Weevil!" Veronica cried as she launched herself into his arms, clutching him to her despite her throbbing muscles. "How did you know?"

He held her close, running a protective hand over her head and down her back. "Carmen's still got some '09er friends. She heard something, passed it along to me. I didn't know how reliable the information was, but I figured I should watch out for you."

Carmen, Tad's ex-girlfriend. Veronica owed her now. She buried her head in Weevil's chest, feeling safe and secure, and yet at the same time wishing he was Logan. "You should have told me."

"I did. I told you to stick close." Weevil put a little distance between them so he could check her injuries. He lightly touched her forehead. The slightly healed bruise was red and agitated again. "What the hell are you doin' in here?" The question came out harsher than he intended, but the possibility of what might have happened to her, scared the hell out of him.

"I got a text from..." Veronica's voices trailed off as her panic returned full force. "He's got Logan's phone." She tried to stand, but her hip was killing her "What did you do to Logan! Where is he?" she screamed.

"Easy there, tiger." Weevil helped her to stand, but kept her close. "You're boyfriend's fine. He's in the library. He's been there since he left the quad. Felix is watching him."

Veronica sagged back against him. She was trying to put the pieces together, but they weren't making any sense. There was no way Logan had anything to do with this. "I got a text-message from Logan. It said to meet him here."

Dick did a quick search of Tad's pockets and pulled out a cell phone. He held it up so Veronica could see. "Yeah, it's Logan's. I'm not sure how he got it though."

Weevil stepped in front of Veronica, gently but firmly putting his hands on her shoulders, as he looked into her eyes. "V, I hate to do this, but we gotta make a quick decision here. I can get Clemmons and you can report this. Or I can take this guy outta here right now, and you won't have to worry about it. You already know how I feel."

Tad, who'd been making all sorts of noises no one was listening to, grew quiet as the meaning of the PCHers words sunk in. Veronica looked at him over Weevil's shoulder, looked back at Weevil. Her first instinct was to report it; she was the sheriff's daughter after all. And Tad deserved to be in jail. But he'd get bail and when Logan found him... She tried to balance what was right with what was necessary. Finally, she drew a deep breath. "You can't kill him," she said earnestly.

Weevil smirked at her. "Yeah, I can, but I won't. Gotta admit, I've had plans for this guy since Carmen, but you'd feel responsible and I can't let that happen. But only for you, chica." He was reluctant to leave her, but he needing to get Tad out of the building before the halls flooded with students. He turned to Dick. "You take care of her?" Dick nodded and Weevil sighed, not liking the fact he had to trust the '09er, but not having much of a choice. "Then I'll take that off your hands now." Dick happily released Tad into the PCHer's custody. Weevil's grip was firm around Tad's arm. "Don't even think about runnin'. My boys are waitin' for you right outside that door."

"Wait!" Weevil stopped at Veronica's command. She limped over to them, Dick's hand materializing around her waist to lend support. She stood in front of Tad, needing an answer only he could provide. "Why risk it? You graduate in three weeks, then you're off to Annapolis. I could still e-mail that web page to your friends, your new college buddies. Why risk all that coming after me?"

Tad might be beaten and unsure of what the PCHers were going to do to him, but his anger at Veronica hadn't diminished. "Do you know how painful it is to have a tattoo removed? How many times I have to go under that fucking laser? Carmen got what was coming to her and you will too. This isn't over."

"See, that's where you're wrong." Weevil flashed a smile that didn't quite go with the anger in his eyes or his body language. "You ain't coming after my girl again. You ain't even gettin' close."

"I'm not scared of you." Tad struggled, but Weevil's hand tightened painfully. "Are you willing to go to jail for this bitch? You haven't done anything yet. Let me go now and I won't press charges."

"Press charges?" Dick started to laugh and it echoed through the room. "Dude, _you_ attacked _her_. You took your shot, and you got busted. Now, you're gonna get the beat-down you deserve, and then you're gonna fade away. You're not gonna report it to the sheriff. You're not gonna do a damn thing. Don't kid yourself, man. It_ is_ over."

Tad knew Veronica and the PCHer were friends, but Dick's presence in the locker room made no sense. "Why the hell are you involved in this, Casablancas? It's none of your business."

Dick shrugged and bopped on his heels, a giant California blond surfer boy with no worries or responsibilities. "It's Logan's business, which makes it mine. We're all a little protective of our Ronniekins right now." Then his expression turned dark, and the surfer boy faded away, revealing a man emanating power and aggression. "I'll destroy you, Wilson. You get within ten feet of her again, and the PCHers will be the least of your worries." Tad took a step back from the alpha '09er, true fear registering for the first time. Dick moved closer, bent his head so he was inches from Tad's face. "I will destroy you," he repeated quietly. It wasn't a threat; it was a promise.

After the little exchange, Weevil dragged Tad out the door, leaving Dick and Veronica alone. Now that the danger was over, Dick wasn't sure how to approach her. He knew she had no reason to trust him. "Ronnie?" he said uncertainly. Veronica leaned forward and Dick bundled her in his arms. "Nothing's going to happen to you, Ronnie. Not this time." And then he held her as she cried.

When she was numb from the tears, Veronica finally pulled back. "What are _you_ doing here?" she asked, completely confused and still shaken from what had happened only ten minutes earlier. Dick, Dick Casablancas, a person she considered one of the lowest forms of life on the planet, had saved her.

Dick sheepishly grinned. "I heard the same rumors. I knew I couldn't tell Logan; he'd go ballistic. And I wasn't sure you'd believe me, so I followed Wilson. I lost him for a minute, but then I saw you heading towards the gym, and that didn't seem right." His grin faded and he frowned down at her. "If I hadn't checked the boy's locker room first, I would have been here before he could touch you. I'm sorry."

Veronica gave him a weak smile as she awkwardly patted his arm, feeling like she was living in the Twilight Zone. "Nothing to be sorry about. You got here just in time."

Dick brushed her hair back from her head, looked at her hands. "You've got a nasty bump and your hand and wrist aren't looking too good. Did he... do anything else?" His stomach quaked at the question, remembering what she hadn't told him a few nights earlier.

"I'll have a couple more bruises, but I think that's all. Can you help me to the mirror? I want to see how bad it is." Dick helped her walk to the length of mirrors opposite the showers. She leaned forward to get a better look at her forehead, her hip screaming in pain. She wasn't sure what grudge the universe held against her hip, but it was definitely getting the brunt of abuse. She checked out her face, her hands, rolled up her sleeves to get a better look at her lower arms, lifted her shirt to see the developing bruises on her stomach. With all the damage from her fight with Aaron, most people wouldn't be able to see the new injuries, but her friends would know. Her friends, and Logan, and her dad. Oh, her dad. She pushed him to the back of her mind to be dealt with later.

Dick hovered beside her, watching her closely. "What are you going to tell Logan?"

"The truth," Veronica said on a sigh as she turned to him. "He'll see through any lie I try to tell him. But I don't want anyone else to know, not unless I tell them." She glanced away from him, biting her bottom lip as she thought over the next few sentences she had to say. "Logan told me you're... sorry about what happened to me. I'm not sure I believe that, but I promised him I'd at least consider your apology. Actions mean more to me than words, so I'm going to trust you not to say anything about this. It's difficult for me to do, but I don't have a choice. "

Dick nodded solemnly, knowing there was nothing he could say, nothing she'd believe. Veronica wanted action, and that's what he'd give her. "Let's get you cleaned up." She told him where to find the first aid kit in the PE teacher's office and Dick rummaged around the locker room until he found her a shirt to replace her torn one. Her turned his back without being asked so she could change. Once she was cleaned up and dressed, he guided her back to the bench so she could sit down. "I think the story should be that you fell on the back stairs outside the building. You went to the car to get a book you left inside and you fell coming back in. You tried to brace yourself with your hand, that's why it's all messed up, and you bumped your head on the railing. Your jeans are a little scuffed, which would make sense if you fell, and it explains why you're sore and how you tore your shirt. Your other hands okay because it was holding the book. Does that cover everything?"

Veronica was actually impressed. She titled her head, and looked at him with surprise. "That's not bad for spur of the moment. You're good at this."

Dick smiled down at her. "Yeah, well, if you fall down drunk as many times as I have, and have to make up stories so your dad doesn't get pissed, you get good at it." He offered her his hand. "I'll walk you to class."

But Veronica didn't take it, instead she let out another little sigh. "Can we... stay here... a little longer?" Her eyes pleaded with him. "I'm not ready to face anyone yet."

"Sure, Ronnie. Whatever you want." He sat down next to her on the bench, keeping a small distance between them so she wouldn't feel crowded.

Veronica moved closer and tentatively laid her head against his shoulder. When she spoke, her voice was barely a whisper. "Thank you, Dick."

Dick didn't say a word.

--- VVV

Veronica normally saw Wallace between French and study hall, but not seeing her wouldn't raise any suspicion. She'd gotten a few strange looks from people she considered partial friends, people she'd done favors for in the past, and when they asked her what happened, she repeated the story Dick created. Everyone seemed to buy it. There were some comments made about her clumsiness, but she could live with them. It was better than the alternative. She avoided seeing Mac and Meg by taken a different route to her locker after study hall, but avoiding Logan wasn't going to be an option.

A part of her, a tiny part, hoped he'd been so upset earlier, that he left school for the day. But Weevil had assured her Logan retreated to the library after what happened in the quad, and she saw the Xterra still parked in the school lot, so she knew she couldn't hide for long. She patiently waited for him to show up at her locker, her face buried inside, not wanting him to catch sight of her from down the hall. She grew more and more tense as the seconds ticked away, and then she heard his voice.

"I know I owe you an apology." Logan's arms wrapped around her from behind. Veronica couldn't contain the wince of pain nor the gasp that escaped. He abruptly let her go. "What's wrong?"

She wished she could avoid doing this in the hall, but whether they were in the hall or in journalism class, she knew he was going to explode. "Don't yell and I'll explain everything." She slowly turned to face him.

Logan saw the additional bump on her head and it's accompanying bruise. His jaw tightened and his eyes blazed. "Who did this to you? And where else are you hurt?" he asked threw clenched teeth.

Veronica did her best to play it off, smirking up at him. "A caring boyfriend would have asked about my injuries first." Logan growled at her, obviously not appreciating the joke, and she gave up. She stroked his cheek with her good hand. "I'm okay, Logan, really." She held up her other hand for inspection, which is exactly what he did as she continued to talk. "There are a few more bruises, which I can't show you at the moment, and I fell on my hip. The one that was already bruised, so it's a little tender."

Logan placed a delicate kiss on her palm before raising his eyes to hers. "You winced when I touched your stomach."

There it was again. The gentleness he showed her, even through his anger. Veronica wanted nothing more than to curl up into him and let him take care of her, but she couldn't do that. She stopped showing that type of weakness in public long ago. "That's one of the bruises I can't show you right now. Unless you want me to flash the entire student body."

"You'll show me everything later." It was a statement, not a request. Still, Veronica nodded in agreement. Logan's eyes turned dangerous again, his voice low and menacing. "Who, Veronica. Give me a name."

She shook her head. "I'm not going to do that." He started to protest, but she held up her hand to stop him. "I'll tell you when we get home, I promise, but not now. And yelling at me isn't going to get you the information you want, so don't even think about it," she warned him.

She was being stubborn, and Logan's anger turned to agitation. "Did you report it? Because I sure as hell haven't seen the cops around. And since it happened to you, I know Burrows would be here."

This situation kept getting better and better... Veronica knew he wasn't going to like the next part either. "I didn't report it, but it's being... handled."

Whatever control Logan had, finally snapped. "It's being handled?" he yelled. "What the hell does _that _mean?"

She flinched as his voice flooded the hall. People were staring now, which was exactly what she didn't want; they were getting enough attention as it was. "Logan, calm down."

"Calm down? Are you _serious_? You get attacked and you won't tell who did it. Then you tell me you didn't report it, but it's being_ handled_? Who's handling -" Understanding dawned on Logan's face. He took a step back from her, running his hands through his hair. "Weevil." Veronica slowly nodded, and watched as his emotions twisted from anger to jealousy. "Since you are my girlfriend, I'd prefer to handle it myself, but if it's Weevil! I'm so glad he was around to take care of it for you."

It was the snarky Logan tone of old and Veronica's own control snapped. She narrowed her eyes and poked her finger in his chest. "I didn't report it because I knew _you_ would go after the guy, and _you_ can't afford to do that. I didn't choose Weevil over you, and I didn't run to him for help. He was there, and he offered, and I knew it was the best way to deal with the situation. For all of us." She swiftly turned and snatched her books out of her locker. "I don't like what I did. I don't like it at all. I was trying to protect _you_." She slammed the locker shut, but refused to look at him. "You want to be mad at me? Fine! But stay the hell away from me. This is the second time today I've been attacked. I don't appreciate it." Then she stormed off down the hall before he could stop her.

---TBC

For those who reviewed the last chapter, thank you, thank you, thank you. We all knew Logan would be first to admit how he feels, but I knew it wasn't time for him to say it yet.

I like making Veronica dense when it comes to love, because honestly, I think she is. She has a tendency to ignore the good stuff and only want to see the bad. It takes time to get through that thick skull of hers.

Tad Wilson is the creeping boyfriend who blackmailed his girlfriend Carmen to stay with him (episode 1.20 M.A.D). I always felt he would try to get back at Veronica. He wasn't the type to let anything go. And it made the perfect situation for Dick to start redeeming himself.

In case you missed it, Logan got 'bumped' at lunch. That's when someone took his phone. And Weevil hinted to Veronica in the parking lot that something was up, but he never got a chance to tell her what it was.

Please review. I crave the attention!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**You Can't Fight LoVe**

Veronica ignored Logan's attempts to talk to her throughout journalism. The few times she glanced in his direction she saw the apology written on his face, but she wasn't in a forgiving mood, not yet. She knew she was cranky because of the pain, and in all fairness she was overreacting to Logan overreacting, but that didn't stop her from being angry and it didn't stop her from being hurt. She'd been on an emotional roller coaster all day. Logan yelling at her pushed her completely over the edge.

She managed to avoid him after class by sprinting into the hall the minute the bell rang and getting lost in the sea of students, but the sprinting had cost her. Her hip was aching and her muscles were tense. Sitting on a hard wooden stool in Biology for an hour didn't appeal to her at all, so she hid in the bathroom until the bell rang, then signed herself out for the day in the administrative office. Not something she could normally get away with since she wasn't eighteen, but Clemmons took pity on her. As she passed by Logan's locker on her way down the hall, she hesitated for a minute. She didn't want to leave him a note, but she knew he'd freak out if he couldn't find her after school and he might even call her dad. She hadn't decided if she was going to tell her dad about Tad and she didn't want Logan putting her in a position where she had to tell him, so she reluctantly placed Logan's cell phone and a note inside.

She opened her own phone, scrolling through the contacts for the Red Box Cab Company, when she felt someone nudge her shoulder. She was surprised to see Meg walking along side her. "You should be in class."

"I have permission to be here." Meg waved a hall pass under Veronica's nose. "You walked by my English class and you looked like you could use a friend, so I said I had to go to the bathroom. Why aren't _you_ in class?"

"I'm going home." Veronica adjusted her bag on her shoulder, masking the twinge of pain when it bounced off her hip. Her damn hip! "It's been a long day."

"I heard you and Logan fighting earlier." Veronica stopped, a little surprised and a lot embarrassed. Meg's doe eyes softened with understanding. On a good day, her friend didn't like her personal business to be public knowledge. She couldn't imagine how Veronica was currently feeling. "I looked for you after class and when I didn't see you, I decided to try your locker. I didn't hear everything, but I heard the words 'attack' and 'Weevil'. I'm pretty sure Weevil didn't attack you, so what happened?"

Veronica didn't want to be mean, but she needed to be alone. She was feeling awful. She wasn't sure she could put up with a chipper Meg. She was afraid she'd say or do something to hurt her. "Go back to class, Meg. You don't want to be involved in this."

Meg was sick and tired of people thinking she couldn't handle things. Yes, she might have been a basket case about Duncan and the not-a-pregnancy, and she could have reacted better, but she did have her own dark secrets. Sooner or later she was going to need to share them and it would most likely be with Veronica. If Meg could help now, she wouldn't feel so terrible about asking for help later. "You need someone to talk to and I'm going to be that person. You were there when I needed someone. Tell me what happened."

Veronica let out a deep sigh as she pushed a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. "Meg, I appreciate the thought, but your dad will kill you for skipping. Go back to class."

Meg waved away Veronica's concern. "I have Ms. Ronald for English, the ditziest teacher in this school. She won't even notice I'm gone." She gave Veronica a little push. "Move! I'm not taking no for an answer, and we need to get out of here before someone sees us."

--- VVV

Veronica kept an eye on the time and wasn't surprised when her cell phone rang five minutes after the last class of the day. She saw Logan's name on the caller ID and flipped open the phone, but Meg took it out of her hand before she could answer. "Hello, Logan," the other blonde said brightly.

Logan was more than a little surprised when he recognized the voice that definitely did not belong to his girlfriend. "Meg? Where's Veronica?" he asked slightly panicked.

"She's with me. We're having girl time and you're interrupting." It had taken a lot of prodding, but Veronica finally told Meg about Tad. Meg understood Logan's concern and even his anger. After what happened Friday, she was sure his protective instincts were on high alert. She was also sure after thinking about what he'd done, he was ready to apologize. Under all the crap, Logan was generally a decent guy. But that didn't mean she was ready to give up her time with her friend. They were having a good conversation; Meg didn't want Logan to spoil it.

Logan hated the fact Veronica ran from him. First after journalism, and then completely out of the school. He wondered if she'd used the time to pack her clothes from the suite. He wouldn't put it passed her, not when she was angry. It would be just like her to use the fight as an excuse to move back to the apartment. "Is she okay? Can I talk to her? Where are you?" The questions quickly flowed from him.

"Yes to the first, no to the second, none of your business to the third." Veronica giggled and Meg smiled over at her. "Seriously, Logan, you're interrupting our conversation. I promise to deliver your girlfriend back to you in one piece. Now, say goodbye."

"Wait!" Logan said before Meg could hang-up. He knew Meg wasn't lying, but he needed to hear Veronica's voice. He needed to know that she was safe. "I really do need to talk to her. We're supposed to go to the hospital to see her dad. In fact, we're supposed to be there in ten minutes."

"Hold on." Meg covered the mouthpiece on the cell. "He says you're supposed to visit your dad?"

Veronica called her dad when Meg stopped at a Quickie Mart to grab a couple of sodas. She told him she was tired; school taking more out of her than she'd anticipated. The sound of the very real exhaustion in her voice convinced him she wasn't lying. Keith told her to rest and call him later. "I talked to my dad. He knows we're not coming."

Meg nodded and lowered her hand from the phone. "She talked to her dad. He knows you're not coming." Then, she added with a little edge to her voice, "You know what you should be doing instead of harassing your girlfriend? You should be thinking about how you're going to apologize to her because you were a colossal jerk earlier. I heard you yelling at her. If I was Veronica, I would have zapped you with that taser she carries in her bag. After everything she's done for you, how could you be so insensitive? I thought you were better than that, Logan Echolls." Meg snapped the phone shut, then dropped it into Veronica's lap. "Now, where were we?"

Veronica tossed her head back and laughed. "We were discussing my jealous boyfriend."

"Oh, that's right." Meg evened out the wrinkles in the blanket while Veronica continued to grin at her. "Hey, he screwed up. Just because you're willing to take part of the blame, doesn't mean he needs to know it yet. Let him stew for a while. It's good for him. Builds character."

Veronica was lounging on the blanket, propped up on her elbows so she could watch Back-Up play in the surf. They'd stopped by the hotel to pick-up the dog before heading to the beach, Veronica wanting fresh air and space. For some inexplicable reason she'd told Meg the entire story of what happened in the girl's locker room. She couldn't explain why. Yes, she considered Meg a friend, felt the tiniest bit responsible for what had happened with Duncan, even though she knew she shouldn't, but it didn't explain why she'd unloaded her troubles on the sometimes fragile girl. It was so unlike her. "Did he sound worried?"

"Worried and guilty. Mostly guilty." Meg wrapped her arms around her knees, pulling them close to her body. "Once you explain it to him, he'll understand. You had to make a snap decision, and given the circumstances, you did the best you could."

"Maybe that's true, but I'm beginning to think I made a mistake letting Weevil take Tad." Veronica sat up, copying Meg's pose. Her own guilt weighed heavily on her. "There were reasons, sure, and it was more than just being afraid of what Logan would do. I didn't want to give another police interview. I didn't want another reason for the reporters to hound me. I didn't want to drag Carmen back into the spotlight. And we still have to get through Aaron's trial. Finding out he killed Lilly doesn't put an end to it." There were also the additional tapes and the additional charges, which would cause another media frenzy, but those were Logan's secret, so she hadn't mentioned them. "Still, that doesn't mean what I did was right."

"It might not have been the quote-unquote right thing to do, but that doesn't mean it wasn't the right thing for you to do," Meg said supportively. "I can't begin to imagine what you or Logan are going through. If it was me, I'd be a hiding in a closet, curled up in a ball, crying hysterically. I know you're stronger than I am, and you're doing your best to keep it together, but even you have a breaking point, Veronica. No one, _no one_, expects you to be able to handle everything. You put that pressure on yourself. Give yourself a break. You don't have to be perfect all the time."

The corner of Veronica's lip twitched. "I'm far from perfect, Meg."

"So is everyone else on the planet. It's good of you to notice," Meg quipped before pointing a shaky finger in her friend's face. "Listen up, Miss Mars. Even if you did make a mistake, you're allowed. Don't let Logan, or your dad, or anyone else tell you differently. And don't let them make you feel guilty either. Even if you had reported it, that doesn't mean anything would have happened to Tad. His family has money, and we both know how easy it is for families with money to make things go away. He probably would have gotten three weeks of community service, then spent the rest of the summer gunning for you. Tad deserves whatever punishment Weevil gives him. And maybe, just maybe, he'll think twice before coming after you again."

Veronica knew there was more to Meg than most people thought, but it was a rare occurrence to see her so feisty. "Meg Manning. When did you get all street justice on me?"

Meg rolled her eyes at Veronica's sarcasm. "Tad's always been a creep. He hit on me once. Tried to feel me up with Cole standing four feet away. And he thinks he's all that and a bushel of apples because he's going to Annapolis. Big freakin' deal! I in no way feel better knowing that a guy like him is entrusted with keeping this country safe. He's a pig, and a snob, and a bully, and the thought of Weevil and the PCHers beating the crap out of him makes me all warm and tingly inside."

By this time, Veronica was laughing, laughing so hard it was difficult for her to catch her breath. "Damn, Meg. Tell me how you really feel. Don't hold back."

Meg started laughing too, a blush spreading across her cheeks, and she lightly punched Veronica's arm, mindful of her friend's injuries. "I can't help it. I don't like him."

"Yeah, I sorta got that," Veronica said which earned her another playful punch. She continued to smile as she wiped happy tears from her face. "He hit on you, really?"

Meg shivered in disgust, exaggerating the motion for effect. "I had to go home and take a shower after it happened. He's just so... vile. I never did understand why Carmen was dating him. She's way too nice for that piece of slime." She smoothed the wrinkles from the blanket again in nervous habit. "But we've talked about Tad enough. Let's get back to your jealous boyfriend. What are you going to say to Logan?"

"I don't know." Veronica collapsed backwards, her arms spread out over her head. She was much calmer than she'd been in school and she could see the situations from Logan's perspective. She still didn't like his reaction, but she understood it, especially since he didn't have all the facts. "I blame Lilly for this. I love her, I'll always love her. She was my best friend. But the things she did to mess with Logan's head..." She balled her hands into fists. "I'll never forgive her for it."

"You're right, but Lilly isn't the only one to blame. Logan put up with it. How or why, I have no idea, but he kept going back to her." Meg couldn't remember a time since eighth grade when Lilly and Logan weren't circling each other. They were either sucking face or screaming. She couldn't imagine being in a relationship like that. It was too volatile. "Would you go back to someone who cheated on you?"

"No," Veronica answered quietly, thinking not only of Lilly and Logan, but of her parents and Kanes too. Working for her father, she'd seen too many cheating spouses, seen the way infidelity could tear a couple apart. "But given his family situation, I understand the reasoning. Or maybe the need to be close to someone, even if they constantly hurt you. Logan leads with his heart and he loved Lilly. He could forgive her for anything." She studied the sky above, watched the clouds pass by. "It's worse because Weevil's involved."

"In a way it surprises me, and in a way it doesn't. Lilly and Weevil. She always did her own thing." Meg had heard the rumors, but hadn't given them any credence until Veronica confirmed them. "Logan's got to know you'd never cheat on him. It's not in your DNA. You're just not a cheater."

"It's not about cheating." Veronica thought about her broken boyfriend. Well, maybe not broken, but definitely cracked. "The night of Logan's party a few weeks ago, I, uh, well, I got spooked and I ran out. I called Weevil to pick me up. Then yesterday, I asked Weevil to meet me when I talked to the claims adjustor about my car. And this weekend I'm going to Vegas to pick-up a new car that Weevil's cousin found for me."

"Yikes," Meg said as she winced, seeing where Veronica was headed.

"Yeah," Veronica agreed, grateful Meg was quick on the uptake. "I couldn't tell Logan the details about the locker room, not standing in the hall in the middle of school. He thinks I ran to Weevil for help. Like I trust Weevil more, or I depend on him more, and that's not it at all. Weevil happened to be there. I understand why Logan's jealous, but he has no reason to be. Weevil's my friend. Asking him for help is like asking Wallace or Mac or you, but I can't get Logan to understand that."

"Because of Lilly," Meg finished for her.

"Because of Lilly," Veronica repeated. "Like I said, I'm never going to forgive her. The trip to Vegas? Weevil has to go with me to pick up the car. Of course, Logan freaked when he found out, so now he's going to. And I have to drag Wallace with us as a buffer. It was already going to be the road trip from hell. What happened today will only make it worse."

"Maybe not." Meg rested her chin on her knee, her face tilted back to look at Veronica. "If you're smart, you can use the trip to your advantage."

Veronica quickly sat up again. "How so?" she asked intrigued, because all she saw was a disaster in the making.

Meg smiled, mischief in her eyes. "Well, you'll have to be real girlie, and I don't know if you're up to it, but with my help, you might be able to pull it off."

--- VVV

It was past five when Veronica got back to the hotel. Originally, she thought being alone would help her clear her mind and find answers, but realistically she knew all she would have done was tie herself into knots. Meg's presence, Meg listening to her, Meg being supportive without being judgmental, it was exactly what Veronica needed. They'd talked and laughed and schemed, and she now felt prepared to deal with Logan. It wasn't going to be easy, but it had to be done. So when she walked into the suite and found Dick sitting next to her boyfriend on the sofa playing video games, she was a little disappointed. She'd steeled herself for an argument. What she got instead was silent indifference. Logan didn't turn his head in her direction or acknowledge her in any fashion. She gave Dick an apathetic wave as she unhooked Back-Up's lead, then immediately went to the kitchenette to grab a water and feed her dog.

She watched Back-Up eat, not sure what her next move was. She should wait for Logan to come to her, but she wasn't good at waiting, not when she knew there was going to be a confrontation. On the other hand, her initial bravado was slowly waning and the thought of another screaming match held absolutely no appeal. And Dick was there. The last thing she wanted was an audience to their fight. There'd been enough of that at school. But dammit! She was Veronica Mars! She didn't hide; not anymore. And Logan didn't scare her. If he wouldn't listen to her, she'd pack up her crap and go home. It wasn't like she had to stay; she had an apartment. If Logan decided to be a prick, she'd leave. But that option didn't sit well either. It felt too much like running away. When did she start running from Logan Echolls? And when did the thought of sleeping without his arms wrapped around her sound like torture? What the hell was going on with her lately? She shouldn't care this much. She should be able to walk away with her head held high, not feel like her tail was between her legs. She trained herself to be self reliant, not to need anyone's approval, especially not a boy who made her life a living hell not two months before.

She was so lost in thought she blocked out everything else going on in the suite, so she tensed when she suddenly felt a presence behind her, but relaxed when she turned to see Dick, not Logan, standing there. "Hi, Dick."

"Hey, Veronica." He shuffled his feet, shoved his hands into his pockets. "How ya feeling?"

"Good," she answered warily, dragging out the syllable. Her current thoughts and Dick's current posture put her on edge. His stance reminded her of Cassidy, and it wasn't something she was used to seeing in the elder Casablancas brother.

Dick's head bopped up and down like one of those dolls people glue to the dashboard of their cars. "Well, I was, uh, gonna head out, but I, uh, wanted to make sure you were okay before I, uh, you know, left." He finished with a lopsided smile.

Dick was being nice again. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. Veronica glanced around, thinking the change in attitude was due to Logan, but she didn't see her boyfriend anywhere. She looked up into Dick's face and when he wouldn't quite meet her eyes, it all clicked into place. "You told him, didn't you?" she said accusingly. "The one thing, _the one thing_ I asked you not to do -"

"It was an accident!" Dick said, trying to defend himself. "I stopped by to see him - and you. You said you were going to tell him the truth, and I figured you'd already talked to him, and I tried to backtrack, but he knew I knew something, and I couldn't get out of it." He ducked his head sheepishly. "Yell at me all ya want. I deserve it. Logan already jumped my shit for not telling him about the rumors."

Veronica leaned back against the counter. So Logan knew. At least she didn't have to give him the play-by-play; Dick had taken care of that. She was surprised he didn't call her the second he found out, demanding she come home. Well, hell. And now, she couldn't even yell at Dick, not when Logan had already chewed him out. Both of them took the fun out of everything. "You suck, you know that?"

"I'm sorry," Dick mumbled, his expression similar to a kicked puppy. "But I promise I didn't say anything to anyone else, and I'm not going to. Just like you wanted."

"Who the hell else would ask you?" She closed her eyes for a moment to think. The pounding in her head, backing off to a dull roar. It wasn't Dick's fault. She _had_ told him she was going to tell Logan the truth. In an uncharacteristically charitable moment she decided to let him off the hook. "It's fine, Dick, but you should probably go. Obviously Logan and I need to talk. Thanks for checking on me." Dick called a 'later, dude' to Logan as he practically ran out of the suite, leaving her alone in the kitchenette. She took several measured breaths, then waited and waited and waited...

"Ronnie," The sound of Logan's voice drifted to her from the bedroom. "Could you come here?"

_This is it_, Veronica thought as she pushed away from the counter. She walked into her bedroom with purpose, but she didn't immediately see Logan. She did hear water running in the bathroom though, so she went to investigate. Peaking around the corner of the doorframe, she saw Logan adding what looked like bath salts to the fast filling Jacuzzi tub. Okay, this wasn't what she expected. "What are you doing?"

"Preparing madam's bath," Logan said with a trace of English accent to his voice. "I figured you could use one before dinner. The heat from the water and the jets should help with your sore muscles." He put the jar on the counter and turned off the taps, then straightened, a slight frown on his face. "You're not cut or anything are you? I should have asked before I put the salt in. If you're cut anywhere, it'll sting."

"No, no cuts." There were a few scratches, but Veronica was willing to endure. A bath sounded wonderful, so good in fact, it almost made her salivate. The delicate smell of lavender filled the room and she could already imagine the feel of the jets pounding on her lower back, helping to work out the stress she stored there. But what immediately eased the tension from her body was the expression on Logan's face. There was no anger, no jealousy, just simple concern. "You didn't have to do this."

"Yeah, I did." Logan cupped her face with his hand, slid his thumb back and forth across her lower lip. He was already feeling awful because of their fight. Once Dick told him the whole story, he felt worse. "Meg was right. I was a jerk."

"Colossal jerk," Veronica corrected automatically, but it was difficult to get out past the lump building in her throat.

Logan chuckled and gave her a quick kiss. "Fine. Colossal jerk. Whatever." He dropped his hand from her face, and clasped her good hand in his. "You were right too. I attacked you and I shouldn't have. I'm sorry, Ronnie. This is my small way of apologizing. Take as long as you want in the tub. When you're done, we'll order dinner and talk. Just talk, no yelling this time."

Veronica took the last step towards him and rested her head against his chest. "Thank you." She felt his free hand barely skim across her back, then fade away. She wrapped her free arm around him and snuggled closer, but still his hand remained at his side. Well, that wasn't right. Usually, if she was anywhere near Logan, he was all over her. And it wasn't like he was mad anymore. She pulled back just enough to look up at him. "What's wrong?"

Logan's eyes wandered over her face, the bruise on her forehead glaring at him. He sighed deeply, then said, "I don't know where I can touch you without hurting you."

Veronica could kick herself. At school when he'd touched her stomach she'd flinched. She told him she had new bruises she couldn't show him in public, but she hadn't been specific about where they were. As far as he knew, her entire back could be one giant bruise. She stepped away from him, dropping his hand, then before she could think about it too much or talk herself out of it, she quickly pulled her shirt over her head. Logan stared at dumbfounded. She smiled at him weakly. "You said you wanted to see them."

Logan's voice was strained. "Yeah, I did." Veronica was standing in front of him in her bra and jeans. His body instantly reacted to her, but it was tempered by the sight of the black-and-blue marks scattered across her torso. Marks that made his own stomach clench. Of course that didn't stop him from saying, "If I knew drawing a bath would get you to strip, I would have done it sooner." She glared at him and said nothing. He turned serious again as he tentatively reached out. "Can I... touch you?" he asked quietly. She nodded her approval.

Logan started with her face, his fingers gently moving over her skin, inspecting every inch. Along with the enlarged bruise on her temple, there was a new bruise on her cheek. "Did he hit you?" Dick hadn't mentioned hitting, but he wasn't in the room with them the entire time.

"No, just slammed me against the wall," Veronica answered matter-of-factly, her eyes closed "I hit my head a couple of times, and the side of my face once."

Logan's eyes flared with renewed anger, and it took every once of self-control he possessed to remain calm. She was so small and so vulnerable, and she'd been beaten up twice, by guys who had at least eighty pounds on her. And yet she was still standing, still fighting. He brushed a kiss across her cheek and she smiled.

The scrapes on her hand and wrist he'd seen earlier, but he took the time to look at them again. Dick said she'd washed them and he'd put antibiotic ointment on them so they shouldn't get infected, but Logan would make sure she put on more ointment after her bath. Dick also told him Tad had twisted her arm behind her back, so he slowly rotated her shoulder to make sure she had a full range of motion. Veronica didn't complain, but she did suck in her breath. He was satisfied with her movement, but he knew she was going to be sore for quite awhile. He should insist she wear a sling, but since he wasn't wearing one, and his shoulder had been dislocated, he knew he'd never convince her to do it. He checked her back and her arms, noting a couple of small injuries, but nothing serious, then he knelt down so he could get a better look at her stomach. When he did, he saw four distinct fingerprints. Whatever Weevil was doing to the bastard, it wasn't enough.

Logan caressed her hip where the top of a bruise was peaking out from the waistband of her jeans. "How bad is this?"

Veronica's eyes fluttered open. He'd been silent as he looked her over, and although the examination of her shoulder hurt, she'd gotten lost in the feel of Logan's touch on her skin. It was almost hypnotic. She looked down at him and what she saw left her breathless. She expected to see anger. After all, he was finally getting a good look at what his father and Tad had done. She would have understood sympathy. Over the years he'd endured worse at the hands of Aaron; he could empathize. She would have even accepted worry or concern or apprehension. But what she saw through his unshed tears was an emotion she'd never seen directed at her before, from anyone. She was reluctant to put a name to it, because doing so would change everything between them, but her heart knew and it skipped a beat in response. This is what he'd been trying to tell her when he kissed her earlier in school. This was what her mind knew she wasn't prepared to deal with. She might have heard the words from another boy, but never before had she seen such a naked and raw expression of them shining up at her.

Logan was hers. He was her guy. He was hers in a way she was positive he'd never been anyone else's. And that scared her to death. Because if it was true, and she instinctually knew it was, if it was true, then he'd never really belonged to Lilly and she'd never really belonged to Duncan. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel about that.

But she'd have to sort out those feelings later, because Logan was still looking up at her, waiting for her to answer his question. Finding strength in her new realization, without thought and without fear, Veronica unzipped her jeans and pushed the material down just enough so Logan could see the entire bruise. She watched him this time, thoroughly captivated by his fingers dancing over her skin. And when he brushed his lips across a spot right above the elastic of her bikini underwear, she felt her own tears slip down her cheek.

Logan pulled up her jeans, not bothering to zip them, then he stood. "You've had one hell of a day, Miss Mars."

Veronica choked down a laugh at the understatement, as she wiped her tears away. "Do I pass inspection, officer?"

"I think you'll do." Logan saw the emotion swirling in her eyes, but he attributed it to post-traumatic stress from the attack, and didn't question her about it. There'd be time to talk later. "Take your bath before the water gets cold. I'll be right outside if you need me."

Veronica nodded, but didn't say anything else. She wasn't sure she could.

--- VVV

Logan searched Veronica's bag for her cell phone. She'd be angry if she ever found out, but at the moment he didn't care. He scrolled through her contacts until he found the number he was looking for, then walked to his bedroom and shut the door as he hit send, so she wouldn't be able to hear the conversation.

Weevil picked up on the third ring. "V, I'm a little busy right now."

"It's Logan," he said, all the rage he felt at seeing her bruises welling up in his voice. When Weevil didn't respond, he continued. "You still working on him?"

"There's gonna be a record of her calling me, ya know," Weevil spit out with irritation. If Tad was stupid enough to report any of it to the cops, Weevil didn't want there to be a phone call connected him and Veronica during the time of the beating. Echoll's calling on her cell was a dumb move.

Logan knew what Weevil was thinking. He could have gotten the number from Veronica's phone, then placed the call on his cell, but he wanted to make sure the PCHer picked up, which he was unlikely to do for an unknown number. "She called to ask you about the trip to Vegas. Do you still have him or not?"

"Yeah, I got him," Weevil reluctantly answered. Okay, so the rich boy could think on his feet. "Why?"

Logan's jaw tightened. "I just saw her bruises - _all_ her bruises." He heard Weevil cuss under his breath in Spanish; he only understood half of it.

Weevil glanced at the '09er his boys were holding off the ground. He was taking great pleasure in personally delivering every punch and kick. Wilson had passed out a few times. Weevil had waited for him to wake-up, then started again. "I saw her head and her arm. There's more?"

"Her stomach, her hip. Her shoulder's banged up." Logan angrily paced the room, kicking the bed and the nightstand at every pass. "I don't like the way this played out, but I can't do anything about it now. What I need to know is your taking care of it. If it's not done right, I'll have to finish it, and you know what she'll say."

Weevil barked out a laugh. Yeah, V would have the boy's cojones if he went within ten feet of Wilson. She was being awfully protective of the '09er. Too protective as far as Weevil was concerned. "I'm taking care of it. The question is, are _you_ taking care of _her_?"

Logan didn't miss the accusation in the question. "She's my girlfriend, Paco. I got it under control."

"Yeah? Then why you calling me?" Weevil pressed, rubbing salt in an open wound. "You got nothing under control, pretty boy. One of your compadres did this to her. You can't even protect her from your own friends."

"Wilson isn't my friend!" Logan hated, _hated_ justifying himself to anyone, especially Weevil. He was already feeling guilty about what happened; he didn't need this shit. "You friends with every brownie that comes out of the barrio? Will live in the same zip code, that's it."

It dawned on Weevil that part of the conversation might get back to Veronica. Echoll's didn't worry him in the least, but V... That girl could be scary. And he still wasn't exactly on her good side, not after beating her boyfriend unconscious. If she found out he was messing with Echoll's head, she'd be upset and he'd be owing her another favor. "Look, man, I'm as pissed as you are. This asshole... There are rules, ya know? You don't hit girls and you don't hit my friends. V's both."

For whatever reason, Weevil was backing-off. Logan accepted it. He didn't like the guy, but in this situation they saw eye-to-eye. Veronica was probably the only thing they agreed on. So if Weevil said he was handling it, Logan believed him. Suddenly, he remembered the fingerprints on her stomach. "If you could break every finger on his right hand, I'd appreciate it."

"Lucky for you, I take requests." Weevil had been concentrating on the body, but a few fingers wouldn't hurt. Well, they wouldn't hurt him. "You go see to _your_ girl and let me get back to work."

---TBC

Way too long a wait between chapters, I know. Honestly, I didn't mean for Veronica and Logan to have a fight in school, and then I couldn't figure out how to resolve it. I know, it's my story. I should know what's going on, but it took on a life of it's own. It was adamant that they should fight and I found it difficult to argue. Veronica's moment in the bathroom in this chapter wasn't planned either. If I didn't already know I was a little crazy, I'd think I'd completely lost my mind.

Thanks for the positive response on the Tad story line. I'm not done with him yet. He'll be lurking around for a while. Maybe a Tad/Madison match up? I haven't decided. But then, I already admitted I have no control.

The Vegas trip is coming up, Duncan's return to school and more angsty moments for our couple. Please continue to review. I love reading them.

Oh! One more question for the masses. Duncan Kane: evil villian or clueless ex-boyfriend. What do you think?


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**I LoVe You So I Told You A Lie**

Keith heard the light knock on his room door and smiled. He was expected a visit from the kids before they went to school. He talked to Veronica the prior afternoon, but he missed seeing her. He knew Logan was taking good care of his daughter, but the sooner he was out of the hospital and Veronica was home, the better Keith would feel. "Come in," he said happily as he laid the newspaper he was reading on the table beside him. Veronica was looking up at Logan as they walked in, saying something Keith didn't quite catch. He prepared to ask her if she'd gotten enough sleep. She'd sounded so tired when she called to let him know she left school early. But before he could ask, she swung her head towards him and Keith got his first glimpse of her bruised cheek and forehead. What came out instead was, "What the hell happened to you?!"

Next to her, Logan stopped short, his eyebrows immediately furrowing and his mouth tightening into a thin line. "You said you told him!" he said accusingly.

Veronica stepped closer to her father's bed and away from her angry boyfriend. "I said I called him."

Logan invaded her personal space, taking full advantage of the foot that separated their heights to tower over her. "You said you told him what happened yesterday."

Veronica took another step back, bumped her shins on the bedrail. Her guilty retreat was obvious, but her voice was even. "You assumed I told him. I never said that."

Logan's voice got louder, echoing through the small room. "Semantics, Veronica. You _knew_ I thought you told him. You _knew_ and you didn't say a word!"

At this point Keith raised his own voice, cutting into the kids' argument. "Will someone tell me what happened?"

Logan arched his eyebrow at her in challenge. When she remained silent, he answered instead, but he kept his eyes firmly on his girlfriend. "She took a header down a flight of stairs at school."

Veronica put her hands on her hips in annoyance. "I wouldn't call three stairs in the quad, a flight." She turned to her dad, her expression softening. "I'm fine. It was nothing."

"Nothing!" Logan practically growled. "She hit her head. See? The bruise is bigger." Veronica gave him a dirty look, but he continued. "And she scraped the hell out of her hand and her wrist. I wrapped them this morning for protection. She hurt her shoulder and she landed on her hip, the one that's already hurt."

Keith did another quick visual inspection of his daughter, this time noticing her bandaged hand. He folded his arms across his chest, Logan's anger contagious. "You told me you left school early because you were tired."

"I was tired... after... what happened," Veronica finished weakly. She sat on the edge of the bed, doing her best to project confidence in her words. "It's not the bid deal Logan's making it out to be. I took a hot bath when I got home, and I slept with a heating pad on my hip. I'm a little sore, but I'm okay."

Keith stared at her for a minute, then his eyes slid to her boyfriend for confirmation. He heard Veronica huff next to him, but he ignored her. Logan reluctantly nodded. "I made sure she didn't have a concussion before I let her sleep. I checked her shoulder. It's giving her a little trouble, but she can raise her arm above her head. She isn't limping, so I don't think there's any permanent damage to her hip. And the scratches on her hand aren't deep. I applied Neosporin to them last night and again this morning before I put on the bandage."

Keith was impressed; the boy was thorough. But then all those years living with an abusive parent, Logan was probably used to doctoring his own injuries. Satisfied with the medical report, Keith shifted his focus back to his daughter. "Why didn't you tell me?" His voice tight as he tried not to yell.

Veronica dropped her eyes to the blanket and picked at a loose thread. "I didn't want you to worry." It came out as more a question than a statement.

Keith wanted to tell her it was his job to worry - he was her father - but he decided it would be wasted breath. Veronica was Veronica; it was too late to change her now. She was always finding new ways to get into trouble. At least he had company in his misery. Logan was as exasperated with her antics as he was. Still, it wasn't like her to be clumsy. Maybe her injuries from the incident with Aaron were bothering her more than she let on. "Were you feeling okay? Did you get light-headed? Is that why you fell?" Keith watched as she shifted nervously on the bed, not looking at him. "Veronica," he said her name as a demand for an answer.

Again, it was Logan who answered, as if he assumed she wouldn't tell her father the truth. "I wasn't there, but Dick saw the whole thing. He told me one of the '09ers tripped her. She grabbed the railing to try to steady herself, but it was too late. He said she went down hard." He eyed his girlfriend, the frustration in his voice clear. "Neither one of them will tell me who did it. I think she threatened Dick's manhood if he gave me a name."

Yep, trouble. Most fathers would be surprised that their pint-sided daughter could instill fear in a full grown male. Not Keith. He didn't know everything that happened at Neptune High, but he knew a good portion of it. Generally Veronica managed to avoid detention, but he'd had several phone calls from Vice Principal Clemmons concerning her behavior. And Rebecca James referred to her actions as 'unhealthy coping mechanisms' on more than one occasion. Veronica wasn't going to let Logan retaliate, smart move on her part, but Keith was sure something would happen to whoever had dared touch her. For now, he decided not push. He was fairly confident Logan would rat her out if the situation escalated. "Maybe you should stay home today."

"No!" Veronica said adamantly as her head shot up, her nervousness gone. "No, I'm going to school. You were right. Finals are in two weeks and I need to be there. Besides," she stuck out her determined chin, "I won't let them win."

Logan rested his hand on her shoulder. She leaned back, her head touching his chest. Seconds ago they were on opposite sides, but now they formed a united front. It was one of those moments in a daughter's life that filled her father with both joy and grief. She found someone to support her, to protect her, to understand her. But that had always been Keith's role and now he had to share it with Logan. For all Veronica's independence, it was the first time he truly felt her growing-up and slipping away from him.

Veronica continued to talk. "I really am fine. Nothing's broken. It's just a couple more bruises. And I got plenty of rest." She tilted her head up to look at her boyfriend, her first real smile since entering the room spread across her face. "Logan wouldn't let me do anything last night. He practically tried to spoon feed me dinner."

Logan did his best to look at her harshly, but his own smile peaked out. "What happened yesterday isn't going to happen again. I'll make sure of it."

Under the words, a silent communication past between them, and once again Keith felt left out. It was turning into a terrible visit. His assertion that he was the most important man in his daughter's life was being challenged. If they didn't leave soon, Keith knew he was going to say something incredibly ridiculous. He was already fighting the urge to tell Logan to remove his hand from her person. "Fine, go to school. But if anything happens, I want to know about it first thing. And I want to see you this afternoon. You call me, try to avoid seeing me, and I'll know something's wrong."

"We'll be here," Logan assured him. "Three thirty on the dot. I promise."

--- VVV

Once they were alone in the elevator, Veronica reached up and gave Logan a kiss. "You did good. You're a better actor than your dad ever was."

Logan snorted. "Like that's difficult." He wrapped his arms around her, keeping her close. "I told you he'd buy it. Dick's story was good; it just needed a little embellishment. Knowing someone did this to you on purpose was enough to distract your dad from asking too many questions." Logan wanted to tell Keith the truth, mostly because he wanted an ally. Someone else to yell at her for not reporting Tad to the police. Someone she might actually listen to. But Veronica wanted to keep her dad in the dark. They'd argued about it until Logan finally caved. And if she hadn't been sitting on his lap, fresh from her bath, nuzzling his ear, they probably would have argued all night.

"I hate lying to him." Veronica raised her eyes to his, not surprised to see the skepticism in his expression. "I'm not saying I don't do it, I'm saying I don't like doing it. When I lie because of a case, it feels different. Lying to him about personal stuff always bothers me. I know I'm the one who insisted we couldn't tell him the truth, but I don't have to like it."

"Technically, only I lied. Everything you said was true, just like we planned." Veronica was chewing on her bottom lip, and Logan could see what he thought was guilt in her eyes. "Look, I've never had a problem lying to anyone's parents, but I told you I didn't want to do this. Your dad's been really good to me, and if you're having second thoughts -"

"No, no, that's not it." Veronica shook off the last of her indecision. Logan was right; it went exactly as planned. Keith couldn't read Logan as well as he could read her, not yet, so they decided Logan would supply the fake explanation and she would stick to convincing her dad she was okay. They incorporated as much fact as possible, both knowing that was the basis for all believable lies, and they made her nervousness and her reluctance to talk about what happened work for them. Starting the visit with a fight set up the whole thing. "We both knew we had to tell him something. He was going to see I was hurt. But if he finds out about Tad, he will ask more questions. This is my dad we're talking about. He'll put two-and-two together."

"Maybe you should have thought of that before," Logan said. The elevator doors opened. The couple walked through the hospital lobby towards the parking garage, mindful of the stalkerazzi who could be hiding anywhere. Logan kept his voice quiet, whispering close to Veronica's ear. "We can't do anything about it now, so there's no use worrying. Hopefully, whatever Weevil did, he kept it low-key."

--- VVV

"Car jacked?" Veronica asked incredulously as Logan sat down at her lunch table. Tad Wilson had temporarily bumped them from the number one spot on the Neptune High gossip list. Stories were flying all through school. She'd barely made it to homeroom before the bell rang; Logan's SUV getting waylaid by reporters when they drove into the school parking lot. But students were whispering all through morning classes, so she didn't miss any of the gossip. During computer class, she read the Neptune Register's report to find out what was semi-true and what was rumor. Tad Wilson was found by a waitress outside a restaurant along the PCH. He was on his way to San Diego to visit a couple of surf shops, when he stopped to get gas. While at the pump, he was jumped and dragged into a field behind the restaurant. He was severely beaten - broken nose, broken arm, broken ribs, broken fingers - and his car was stolen. According to the police, the restaurant-slash-gas station was old and didn't have video surveillance. Mr. Wilson didn't get a good look at his attackers and no one in the restaurant saw the incident. There were no immediate suspects. Veronica had to give Weevil credit. The restaurant was close enough to San Diego to throw suspicion off the PCHers.

"Mugged and car jacked," Logan corrected. After the previous days fiasco, he gave up on sitting with the '09ers. Besides, he wanted to be with Veronica anyway. "I heard he's in really bad shape."

There was such a happy undertone to his words, Veronica was tempted to smack him. For all practical purposes, she'd ordered the beat-down and that didn't sit well with her at all. Meg told her Tad deserved whatever he got, but she still felt guilty. At least Weevil kept his promise; Tad wasn't dead.

"Are you talking about that Tad guy?" Wallace set down his lunch tray as he joined them. "I heard it was bad too. He's going to be in the hospital for a couple of days."

Logan pushed Wallace's tray out of the way. "That stuff will kill you. Here." He tossed him a plain white waxed paper bag.

As Wallace opened the bag, the smell of steak hoagie filled his nostrils. "Where were you when I was forced to eat meatloaf surprise?" He pulled the sandwich out, took the chips Logan offered. He surveyed the edible lunch, then looked over at Veronica, true delight in his face. "Can we keep him, ma, can we?"

Veronica clued back into the conversation, adding the required response. "Only if you clean up after him, son."

"Ha, ha," Logan deadpanned. He split his sandwich in two, giving half to Veronica, then placed a salad in front of her. "There may be brownies, but I'm not making promises."

Veronica picked up her fork and started eating. "Since when does Delvecchio's deliver?" She recognized the food as coming from a sub shop near Dog Beach. She hoped the question would divert any further discussion of Tad.

"They don't. Dick went surfing this morning. He called and asked if I wanted anything before he came in." Logan nudged Veronica's arm and pointed to the '09er table across from them. "Actually..."

Dick was staring at her, the same kicked puppy dog expression on his face she'd seen in the suite the night before, accept this time there was a hopefully note to it. He pointed to himself and then at her, then made a walking motion with his fingers. Veronica groaned. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"I told him it was up to you, but he really doesn't want to sit with them." Logan stuck out his bottom lip, batted his eyelashes at his girlfriend. "Please?"

She was too concerned about the other thing to really care where Dick ate his lunch. "Fine, but he makes one jackass remark and I'm sending him back." Logan waved his friend over. The big blonde practically leapt up from the table. And he wasn't alone. Veronica's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh my god, we're being invaded."

Wallace looked over his shoulder to see what Veronica was talking about. Along with the Casablancas brothers, whom he officially met the day before when they'd walked Veronica and Logan into school, was another '09er boy Wallace didn't know. "What's going on?" he asked cautiously.

Soon, the table was filled with people. Some Veronica didn't mind having around, others she wished would stay on their own side of the quad. Casey Grant, Dick and Beaver. Meg showed up at one point. And Mac, although Mac was as uncomfortable with the new arrivals as Veronica.

Casey was talking basketball to Wallace. Dick was telling Logan about the surf that morning. Mac and Beaver were discussing some computer program. Meg was engaged in conversation with another member of the cheerleading squad who'd wandered over. Everyone was getting along peaceably, but Veronica felt claustrophobic. She was squeezed between Logan and Dick, and although Dick was being... not-Dick, she wasn't happy. Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore. She stuffed her trash into a paper bag, and bolted.

It took Logan seconds to catch up with her. "Hey, where are you going?"

Veronica crossed her arms over her chest protectively. "I didn't sign up for this, Logan. I didn't..." She knew they were being watched, and she didn't want to fight, but she was antsy and uncomfortable, and she knew he was going to push.

Logan ran his hands up and down her arms in a comforting gesture. "They're my friends, Veronica."

"Then you go sit with them," she snapped before walking away again.

In two steps Logan was back beside her. "Is that what you want?" he asked, his voice tinged with anger and hurt, a mix he did so well. "You want me to sit with the '09ers?"

Veronica kept walking until they were out of sight from prying eyes, confident he would follow. "No, you shouldn't have to put up with them, but I shouldn't have to -" She hesitated. "Just pick another table. There are plenty of open ones. You don't have to sit at the '09er table."

"So I can either sit with my friends or sit with you, but I can't do both? Is that what you're saying?" Logan ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "They're standing by me, Ronnie. They've got my back. In case you haven't noticed, not many people do right now."

"I do," she said softly. Veronica didn't understand how he could forgive them so easily. Yesterday he was screaming at them because of their behavior, and his friends, Dick included, had said nothing. No one had stood by him then. "What Dick did for me... I can't begin to thank him. And Casey and I, we have an understanding. But that doesn't mean I'm comfortable being around people whose mission for the past year has been to make me miserable. My emotions don't flip on a dime. I'm sorry, but I can't... I _won't_ sit with them. I'm not ready to forgive and forget. I'm not made that way."

"I accept Wallace," Logan pleaded. "I accept Mac."

"When did Wallace or Mac write slut on your locker? When did they egg your car? When did they throw trash at you while you were walking down a public street? It's not the same and you know it!" Veronica dropped her head, trying to stop the tears from welling up in her eyes. Maybe her dad was right; she should have stayed home. "If you and I broke-up tomorrow, they'd start doing it all again. I don't feel safe around them."

As Veronica said the last part, Mac approached them. "Veronica, you got a minute? I need your help in the computer lab." Before her friend could respond, Mac gently grasped her elbow and escorted her away from Logan, who was wise enough not to follow. When the doors of the school closed behind them and they were alone in the empty hall, Mac dropped her hand. "Are you okay?"

"People have been asking me that a lot lately," Veronica quipped. She held the side of her finger to her eye to catch a tear before it slid down her cheek. "Thanks for the save." They walked together down the hall, Mac periodically glancing in Veronica's direction, not sure what to say. As they approached the computer lab, Veronica asked, "Do you really need help with something?"

"Na, but I found more faculty personal adds on-line. Watching a few might cheer you up. I know they make me laugh." Mac smirked. "In a completely skeeved out, how-do-I-look-these-people-in-the-eye-ever-again sort of way."

Veronica pasted a bright, but obviously fake smile on her face. "Sounds like fun."

"For the record," Mac began as she pushed open the door to the classroom, "I'm surprised you lasted as long as you did."

--- VVV

Veronica waited for Logan by her locker. She waited as long as she could before heading to journalism. She was a little disappointed he hadn't come to her, but she wasn't mad at him. It was a non-fight, really. It wasn't until the end that she said what she should have said at the beginning, and she hadn't stuck around to hear his response.

She'd become so accustomed to not having friends, she forgot what that felt like when it first happened. Sure, she had Wallace now. And Mac and Meg. Weevil too. But so many months went by where it was only her, where she was the only person she could count on, she forgot how difficult the sudden isolation could be. She didn't have a choice. When she sided with her dad, the rest of her world dissolved into something unrecognizable. But when it first happened, if someone had offered friendship, she would have glommed onto it. Logan's life was in a tailspin. He was angry with his friends, but a few had extended an olive branch. She could understand why he accepted it. And really, she didn't want him to go through what she went through. If his friends were willing to let him back in, she wanted him to take advantage of it. But she'd lived in her own corner of the world for so long, she was wary of sudden change. And she was skeptical of people's motivation.

She didn't want Logan to give up his friends, but she'd be damned if she'd play nice just to please him. Obviously she needed to do a better job of explaining. She was confident once he saw her point of view, he'd understand and they could figure it out together. They'd been doing a pretty good job of that so far.

She walked into class to find him already seated at a table. She put her books down next to him. "About earlier -"

"They won't be eating with us tomorrow," Logan cut her off. "I choose you." Then the bell rang before Veronica could respond.

Once the teacher took attendance and students got to work, she tried again. "I don't want you to choose." Logan opened his mouth, but Veronica shook her head. "If you want to go surfing with Dick, or play video games with Beaver, or go to TJ with Luke, I'm not going to stop you." She rethought the last part. "Okay, maybe not TJ with Luke. The whole steroid thing." The corner of Logan's mouth turned up. "I'm not giving you an ultimatum. I'm not going to break-up with you because I don't like your friends, but I'm not going to hang-out with them either."

After she left with Mac, Logan finally heard what she'd been trying to tell him. They were working through their problems of the past year, but Veronica had issues with other people and he couldn't force her to renew old friendships. It was her decision, and it would have to be done on her timetable. He brushed her hair away from her face, hooking a few strands behind her ear before running his finger down the side of her throat. "I pushed you into that today, didn't I?"

Veronica shivered at the gentle touch, but leaned into it just the same. "You didn't know." Under the table, she grabbed his knee and dug her nails into his jeans. "But now you do, so don't do it again," she finished threateningly.

Logan pried her hand away, entwined their fingers together, then rested their joined hands on his thigh. "I'm sorry I forced you to choose between us and your dad." Veronica blinked at him in surprise. Looking back, Logan realized it was the worst thing he'd done to her and he'd never apologized. "You believe in him. I didn't understand that, how you could believe in him. I didn't understand a lot of things about the relationship the two of you have. But I've seen it now, up close. You had to stand by him. He'd stand by you, no questions asked."

Veronica glanced around the room as she dropped her voice to a whisper. This was fast becoming one of those conversations she didn't want to have in public. "You were hurt. You lashed out and I was a convenient target."

Logan grasped her chin between his fingers, forced her to look directly at him so their eyes connected. "Don't make excuses for me, Veronica. You never have before." She slowly nodded in agreement and he let her go. "We can talk about the rest later, but I... I wanted you to know now that I'm sorry."

Veronica squeezed his hand. "Apology accepted." She smiled at him, happy that they were good again. She knew he'd understand.

--- VVV

"So school was boring." Keith picked through the Chinese food Veronica had smuggled into his room, thankful he was spared what the hospital laughing called dinner. "That must have been a nice change for everyone."

Logan munched on an egg roll while watching his girlfriend with amusement. She was devouring a carton of cashew chicken. She ate lunch, so he knew she couldn't be that hungry. He nudged Wallace who was sitting next to him, pointed at her. The other boy nodded in agreement while rolling his eyes.

Veronica missed it all. "I wouldn't complain if the rest of the year went by in a similar fashion," she said around a mouthful of food. "I knew things had to settle down eventually, but I didn't expect it to happen so fast."

"Take advantage of it while it lasts," Keith reminded her, knowing another storm was right around the corner. He looked over her shoulder at Logan. "Did you hear from the DA today or the federal prosecutor?"

Veronica told Wallace about the tapes, but only after asking Logan if it was all right. Logan knew it would come out eventually, and Wallace had been pretty cool with things, so it didn't bother him as much as he thought it would. "They haven't called, but I did talk to Cliff while Veronica was getting the food. He hasn't heard anything from the feds either, but he wants me to call him the minute they get in touch with me. He doesn't want me talking to them or helping them unless he's there. He did talk to the Neptune DA though. They're going to wait for the doctors to release Aaron before officially pressing charges. It's not like Aaron's going anywhere anytime soon and the longer they wait the more time Burrows has to gather evidence. Once it happens, there'll be a bail hearing. Cliff said I could make a statement to the court if I wanted. He's not sure if it'll help, but I think I might do it."

"No way he gets bail." Wallace glanced around, looking at the room's three other occupants for confirmation. "I mean, there's just no way. All those charges? They have to consider him a flight risk."

Keith wished the system was impartial, but it wasn't. Aaron was a high profile defendant, but he had money, and that changed things. "I'd like to say it's not possible, but you never know for sure. The judge could decide setting a high bail and confiscating his passport is enough. I don't think that's likely, especially with the federal charges looming, but truthfully, it wouldn't surprise me. Aaron doesn't have a record. And there's no hard evidence connecting him to Lilly's murder. The tapes show motive, but there's nothing linking him to the scene."

Wallace glanced at Logan, whose eyes were focused on the floor, before he continued. He figured there were going to be a lot of uncomfortable conversations like this before it was all over. "Even though he attacked you and Veronica trying to get those tapes back. It still won't be enough?"

Keith also saw Logan physically withdraw from the conversation. He knew how difficult it was for the boy, but he wasn't going to lie to make Logan feel better. They'd all deal with the truth together. "I want all of you to be prepared, because in all honesty, I don't think the murder charge is going to stick. Convincing a juror that Aaron killed Lily is going to be difficult. There's no physical evidence. Veronica's testimony about what he said isn't going to be enough. His defense attorney will try to throw blame on anyone else with a motive. Duncan's epilepsy will be made public, so will Jake and Celeste's attempt to destroy evidence. Logan's alibi is blown. They'll say he went off in a jealous rage. All of that helps to create reasonable doubt. Aaron could easily be acquitted. At this point I'm counting on the feds. If Aaron goes to jail, it will probably be because of what they find on those tapes."

Connecting Aaron to the scene. There'd been a whisper of thought running around Veronica's mind for days. Suddenly it clarified into an actual idea. "There are two traffic cameras between the Echoll's place and the Kanes. Like the one that caught Lilly and put her time of death into question. Did you ever pull the data from them?"

Keith sat in stunned silence for a few seconds. "Damn, honey. I didn't think of that." He lowered his container and his fork as he arranged the puzzle pieces in his mind. "I pulled the information, but we didn't know the time of death was wrong until recently. I never looked at the other data."

"And there's no way Lamb ever thought to look," Veronica supplied, a smile hovering on her lips.

Keith picked up the phone excitedly. "Burrows might not know those cameras exist. He won't know to check them."

Logan sat up straight, a small spark of hope coming to light in his eyes. "Could we get that lucky? Get proof of him driving to or from the Kanes house at the time Lilly was killed?"

"It would place him in the area," Keith said as he dialed. "Every little bit helps at this point. One piece of evidence layered on top of another, that's how you build a solid case." Someone answered on the other end of the line. "This is Keith Mars. I need to speak with Captain Burrows."

Logan turned to Veronica, the spark shining bright now. "Aaron drives fast, he always has."

Veronica's smile widened as she stood up to walk towards him. "And if he was trying to get away from the scene of a crime..."

"He might be speeding," Logan finished. He knew it was a long shot, but it was something. He needed to see Aaron convicted of Lilly's murder. It wouldn't be over, not truly over, until he heard a jury say the bastard was guilty.

Wallace stretched out his legs in front of him. "You know the best part? We don't have to break in to the sheriff's department. Your dad makes a phone call, and, Bam! It's taken care of."

"I don't know," Veronica said, her voice laced with humor. "The smoke bomb worked so well the last time." She grinned at her partner in crime as she sat down in Logan's lap. "And the delivery device was, dare I say, inspired."

"You do get props for that." Wallace met her eyes, making sure not to look at Logan, or crack a smile. "Not many people would think to put a smoke bomb in a bong."

Logan looked at Veronica, then Wallace, then back at Veronica. "I always knew that was you."

---TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**Silent Kind of LoVe**

Veronica eyed the monstrosity sitting in the parking lot of the Neptune Grand. She looked up at her boyfriend standing beside her, her hand held to her forehead to shade her eyes from the early morning sun. "You couldn't find anything bigger?" she asked sarcastically.

Logan dropped his arm across her shoulder. "Listen up, sugarpuss. I'm only going to explain this one more time. Six people don't fit comfortably in the XTerra." His lips contorted into his trademark smirk. "I know, technically you and Mac only count as half-people, but it still won't work."

"You think you're so funny, don't ya, pretty boy." Veronica turned back to the midnight blue Chevy Suburban he'd rented for the trip, frowning in disgust. She still wasn't sure how he'd managed to pull it off. You had to be twenty-one to rent a car in California. "This is overkill."

"No, this is appropriate." Logan opened the front passenger door. "You and me upfront." Then he opened the rear door. "Three in the back. And one all the way in the back, with the cooler and the snacks. Everyone has plenty of room this way."

Veronica eyed him suspiciously. "So we can stick Dick back there, right? Far away from me?"

Logan scratched the side of his head, his words coming out slow and deliberate. "Ah, yeah, that's an option. But then he'd be unsupervised. He'd probably spend the whole trip mooning people through the back window. And do you really want him in charge of the food?"

Veronica flopped down on the curb. "This was a stupid idea. I should have asked Weevil to pick up the car and drive it back by himself." Somehow the trip to Vegas had taken on a life of its own. Veronica, Wallace, Mac and Meg were standing by the lockers after school on Thursday. Veronica and Wallace were discussing the trip, and Mac asked if she could tag along. Her parents had mentioned something about amateur go-cart racing that weekend; she needed an excuse to bail. Veronica said sure, the more the merrier. Unfortunately, Dick and Logan walked up right at that moment. Dick considered her words an open invitation to join them. Veronica was about to correct that assumption, but Meg nudged her shoulder and gave her a meaningful look. The plan, right. So instead, Veronica pasted a smile on her face and said nothing, while Logan shot her several questioning glances as the group worked out the specifics of the trip. Logan estimated the five hour drive to Vegas would take closer to six, adding in gas and restroom breaks. Once there, they'd eat lunch, pick-up Veronica's car, then head back. If they wanted to get home at a decent hour, they'd have to leave early.

So it was Saturday morning, close to seven, and the couple was waiting for their friends to arrive. Logan hauled her up from the ground, ignoring her groan of protest. "Come on, Ronnie. It's a road trip! Road trips are fun. Get into the spirit of it." He pushed his uncooperative girlfriend towards the car. "You're my co-pilot, which means you get control of the stereo," he added in a sing-song voice.

Veronica turned, her eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to _bribe_ me, Logan Echolls?"

"Bribe is such an ugly word. I was thinking more along the lines of entice." He walked her backwards until she was flush against the side of the SUV. "I know you're not a morning person, but you got plenty of sleep last night. We went to bed at ten, like old people. Don't be a grump."

Veronica looked up at him, his lopsided smile shining down at her, and she hated him for being so cheery. "You should be grumpy too. This is way early for you."

Logan fitted his hips against hers; Veronica's arms automatically encircled his neck. "Actually, I'd be up around this time if I was going to surf. Once everyone's here, we'll stop at Starbucks. I promise." He laid kisses along her jaw, working his way up to her ear where he pulled her earlobe into his mouth, sucking and nibbling on the tender flesh.

Veronica closed her eyes and sighed as she tightened her hold on him. If she had to be up at this ungodly hour, the least Logan could do was buy her caffeine. What he was doing with his mouth was good too. "I want a venti caramel macchiato. And a blueberry muffin. And a piece of banana nut bread."

Logan laughed against her skin, the sound vibrating through her. "You had breakfast a half hour ago."

Veronica's only response was to arch her neck to give him better access. She knew she should stop him before the impromptu making-out session got out of control. Standing in the parking lot of the Grand didn't offer much protection from the paparazzi, and their friends were due to arrive any minute. But instead of doing the logical thing, she let her mind wander into the semi-dream state her boyfriend created. It was one of her favorite things about Logan - he's ability to make the world melt away for her. She wasn't required to worry about every little detail, or be responsible for other people's problems. She could relax and be a seventeen year old girl. It was almost frightening how easy it was to let loose of the tight control she usually maintained at let someone else take care of her.

And it was equally amazing that Logan had the energy or stability of mind to do it for her. The federal prosecutor had finally called. Friday after school, Logan had watched videos of his father and random women having sex. By the time he got back to the suite, his anger was palatable. He'd changed into a pair of sweats and had been gone for two more hours releasing that anger on a punching bag. And then he'd walked back in the door and kissed Veronica's socks off.

She wished she could help him, but Logan was sworn to secrecy. What he watched, the names of the women he could identify, he wasn't allowed to talk about any of it. The most he'd said was that Aaron was definitely going to jail, so Veronica knew some of the women – girls – were under age.

And in the middle of the hell surrounding them, Logan still found time to do unbelievable things for her. A masseuse was waiting when they got back from visiting her dad Wednesday night. She'd spent an hour being manipulated by very talented hands. Every muscle kink and stress knot smoothed out until her entire body turned to mush. It had been heaven. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been pampered like that.

Thursday had been all about romance. Logan was true to his word; lunch was blissfully free of '09ers. He persuaded Wallace to sit with his jock friends while he treated her to a picnic on the grassy knoll of the Neptune soccer field. It was the two of them, a blanket and a bottle of sparkling cider. Before journalism he presented her with a pink rose. Just because.

Friday was in no way less impressive. Tad was back, on crutches with his broken arm in a sling. His face looked like he'd gone ten rounds with Evander Holyfield. At least, that's what she'd been told. She never saw him. Somehow Logan managed to shield her from it. And he made sure she wasn't alone either. Normally, there were times when she walked between classes never seeing her friends. Not on Friday. If it wasn't Mac or Meg or Wallace, it was Dick or Casey or Logan himself. She was escorted everywhere and she knew it was all Logan's doing. He was protecting her.

He was protecting her. It was such a novel idea. A boy going out of his way to make her feel safe and special. She tried to remember if she'd ever felt that way before, and in all honesty, she couldn't. Oh, there were times when Duncan made her feel safe, times he made her feel special. But feeling both at the same time and knowing it wasn't an accident, that someone, that Logan, had purposely gone out of his way to make it happen, that was new. And now he was going to drive a very eclectic group of people to Las Vegas so she could pick up a car, and he wasn't complaining. Not even about Weevil.

"I was told this trip would be PG, PG-13 max."

"Go away," Logan growled threateningly, breaking Veronica from her thoughts.

She slowly opened her eyes to peak over his shoulder. Mac was standing there, Starbucks cup already in hand, her own personal smirk on her face. Veronica gently pushed Logan away, noting his disappointment. She reached up and dropped a kiss on his nose. "It's Mac. We like her, remember?" Then she slid out of his grasp, much happier than she'd been ten minutes before. "Good morning, fellow traveler!" Mac took a sip from her cup and pointed at Veronica's top. Veronica looked down to find her cardigan gaping open. She quickly buttoned it up, her cheeks enflamed. "Sorry about that," she mumbled as she shot Logan an exasperated look. He stared back at her, the picture of innocence.

Mac chuckled at her friend's embarrassment. It was good to see Veronica off-balance and having fun for a change. They talked on the phone the night before so she knew Veronica was anxious about the trip. All that teenage testosterone locked in a car was bound to cause problems, especially when some of the males in question weren't fond of each other. They'd also talked about Meg's plan. Getting a jump on it by making Logan's morning a little brighter wasn't a bad idea. "Is this our ride?" Mac ducked her head into the interior of the SUV, noting the DVD monitors imbedded into the back of the headrests. "Sweet. I brought the movies you wanted. I also have bottled water. You mentioned a cooler would be provided?"

Logan's hand lingered on Veronica's lower back as he took the bag of water bottles from Mac. "You didn't have to bring anything. I raided the Sac-N-Pac last night. We have water, soda, chips, pretzels, chocolate and two bananas."

"Two bananas?" Mac asked, laughter bubbling up and out of her this time.

Logan sheepishly nodded. "Yeah, I know, but it was the only fruit I could find that didn't look like it had been run over. Veronica mentioned you were a vegetarian and I wasn't sure what else to get you."

Mac sobered quickly as she absorbed his words. He'd bought fruit specifically for her. "Bananas are great. Thanks." Logan nodded again, then headed towards the tailgate to load the extra water into the cooler. Mac nudged Veronica's shoulder. "Your boyfriend's sweet."

Veronica tilted her head close to Mac's. "I know, but don't tell him. His ego's big enough as it is."

"I heard that," Logan called from the back of the Suburban.

Weevil showed up soon after, the sound of his motorcycle preceding him. He parked his bike and made his way over to the small group, standing in front of Veronica and Mac, and completely ignoring Logan. "Morning, ladies."

Veronica felt Logan stiffen next to her. "Weevil! So glad you could join us," she said brightly to cover the rising tension. If it was any indication of how the rest of the day was going to go, she knew she'd have a migraine before they left the state. "Whatcha got in the bag?"

Weevil adjusted the leather knapsack on his shoulder. "Just some stuff. I, uh, I wasn't sure what we were doing..."

As he let the sentence trail off, Veronica realized he hadn't received the same information as the rest of the group about the trip. A mistake on her part. She hadn't talked to him for longer than a minute since the incident in the girl's locker room. Had barely seen him at all in school. "There's a cooler if you have drinks or anything you want to keep cold. We'll eat lunch once we get to Vegas. If we have time, I was thinking the Hard Rock Cafe on the strip could be fun."

"Yeah, whatever you want. The dealership's just outside the city. We should have time." Weevil shifted on his feet, his body language effectively communicating his discomfort. "The cooler?"

Logan pointed towards the tailgate, but said nothing. Veronica followed Weevil to the back of the SUV, wanting to make up for her boyfriend's behavior. And a few minutes ago she was amazed because he wasn't complaining! As Weevil opened the cooler, she got her first good look at his hands. "Oh my god," she whispered as she reached out to touch the bruised knuckles. "Eli..."

Weevil looked down, not sure what had garnered that reaction from her. Then he remembered. He flexed his hands before dropping them to his side. "It was worth it." He saw the look of pure anguish on Veronica's face. "V, don't worry about it. The guy got what he deserved."

Veronica sat on the bumper of the Suburban, burying her head in her hands. "I should have checked on you. I should called or come over."

"No, you shouldn't." Weevil sat down next to her, his voice tender. "Stayin' away was the smartest thing you coulda done. You don't need any of this comin' back on you."

"But I'm responsible for what happened," she said as all her guilt came rushing back. Tad was beaten-up. Weevil was hurt. She made Logan lie to her dad. She should have gone to the police. She _should_ have gone to the police.

Weevil tapped her on the shoulder until she looked over at him. "Last time I checked, you weren't the asshole who attacked a girl. I told ya I was lookin' for an excuse to beat on the guy. I enjoyed doin' it."

Whether it was something Weevil wanted to do or not, it was still her fault. "But your hands..."

"This?" Weevil raised his hands again and scoffed. "This ain't nothin'." He gave her one of his crooked smiles. "Most of this came from the other night when I was beatin' on _your_ boy. You didn't notice 'cause you were too busy yellin' at me. _So upset_ 'cause of a _little_ dislocated shoulder." Veronica punched his arm and Weevil grabbed at it in mock pain. "And now you're beatin' on me. You don't appreciate me at all." He hung his head and sighed.

Veronica would never tell either of them, but Logan and Weevil, sometimes they were very much alike. They both deflected pain with humor. They both acted tough, when underneath it all they were pussycats. They both were passionate; protecting the people they cared about, never thinking of the consequences to themselves. And they both had a way of instantly making her feel better about really crappy situations. Her lip twitched, but she refused to smile. "Well, if those bruises are from Logan, then you deserve them, and I don't feel bad for you one bit."

Weevil, glad that the self-deprecation was over, finished putting his supplies in the cooler. "See? This is what I'm talkin' about. No appreciation. I also delivered him to you as requested, in case you forgot."

Veronica scoffed. "You beat the hell out of him first. And he was drunk! You took advantage of a drunk," she said matter-of-factly.

Weevil puffed up at the insult, playing along with Veronica's game. "Drunk or sober, I could kick his ass without trying. You forget who you're talkin' to. That boy of yours is soft." He made a show of rubbing his hands down his chest. "Now, I'm a real man."

Veronica jumped up, hands on her hips, fire back in her eyes. "A real man? Please! I could take you."

"Are you callin' me out, blondie?" Weevil said, invading her personal space.

Veronica refused to back down. She wouldn't let him win that easy. She poked him hard in the chest as she spoke. "I think I am, tough guy. You just name the time and place."

"Right," he drew out the word. "'Cause that's the reputation I need. Beatin' up little girls."

"You're just scared," Veronica taunted him. "You know I'd win."

Weevil held up his hands in pretend fear. "Ooh, I better run. Big, bad Veronica Mars wants to kick my ass." He walked around her, sizing her up. "What are ya? About 85 pounds soakin' wet? Stick with the taser and the pit bull, chica. Those are the only two scary things about you."

Veronica stuck out her bottom lip. "I scare people." When Weevil continued to stare not convinced, she stomped her foot. "I do! People are scared of me all the time!"

"People are scared of the dirt you uncover," Weevil pointed out. "Not you. That's why you call me to do the heavily liftin'."

Veronica jutted out her hip, pushed her elbow into her side and studied her nails. "All this talk about being a real man, but you're not willing to prove it."

Weevil leaned in close again, closer than he'd been before. His voice dropped to a suggestive whisper. "Oh, I'd be more than happy to prove it." His eyes raked up and down her body as he ran his tongue across his teeth. "If ya want to touch me, V, all you have to do is ask. You don't need to make up an excuse."

Veronica's eyes widened in shock as she pushed him away, laughing at his comment. "Weevil!"

"Trying to make time with my girl, Paco?" Logan's voice invaded the private conversation. Veronica swung around to see him standing next to the SUV, his arms crossed in front of him with no expression on his face. Her stomach took a dive as she wondered how much he'd heard.

Weevil was just as surprised by the '09er's sudden presence, but he refused to let it show. Instead his lips turned up in a cocky half smile. "When I decide to make time with your girl, you won't have to ask. You'll know." Then he purposely kissed Veronica's cheek before walking away.

Logan continued to stare at her blankly, ignoring Weevil's departure. Veronica gave him a nervous smile. "We were just joking around." Although she wasn't sure if the last part was a joke, and that gave her pause.

"Uh, huh," was Logan's only response.

She threw her hair over her shoulder, falling back to defensive mode. "God, Logan. What do you think we were doing? You think I was back here flirting with him, with you standing five feet away? Give me a little credit!"

"Who said anything about flirting?" Logan asked smoothly.

Inside, Veronica cringed. Oh, _why_ did she have to say that? Like Logan didn't have enough insecurities or reasons to dislike Weevil. No, she had to go and remind him of what happened with Lilly. _Good god, Mars, could you screw-up any worse if you tried?_ Her mouth parted, but nothing came out. She didn't know what to say, how to make it better. And Logan wasn't helping. He stood still as stone. She couldn't read him and it scared the hell out of her. Either he was taking it all as the joke she said it was, or he was about to explode into a jealous rage. Knowing Logan, it was probably the second and her mind worked furiously to find a way to diffuse the situation before a fight broke out.

Obviously, she took too long to answer. Logan's eyes dropped from hers, his shoulders slumped in defeat and he walked away without saying another word.

--- VVV

Veronica knew she was staring, but she couldn't help it. Logan hadn't said two words to her since their unfinished conversation back at the hotel parking lot. By the time she got her feet to work and went after him, he was talking to Dick, who must have shown up while she was talking to Weevil. She walked over to Logan, stood by his side, waited for him to acknowledge her, but he didn't. Wallace arrived a few minutes later, and Logan made quick work of getting everyone in the Suburban and on the road.

When they stopped at Starbucks, he ordered everything she earlier told him she wanted, along with what everyone else wanted, but he didn't talk to her. He silently passed the food and drink over to her without even looking at her. They'd been on the road now for over an hour and the silence between them continued. Veronica wanted to scream, to do anything to get him to talk, but she wasn't going to start a fight in a car filled with their friends. Especially when she felt so damn guilty. So she stared at him instead. And he stared at the road.

The other occupants of the SUV noticed, but no one was sure what was going on. Even Weevil was a little confused. He'd expected V and Echolls to get into a screaming match, or Echolls to come after him over the stunt he pulled. Kissing Veronica's cheek like that, pushing the guy's buttons on purpose. But nothing had happened. Nothing at all, which didn't sit right with Weevil. Sure, he liked V and she was hot, but he'd stepped on Echolls' toes before and he wasn't looking to do it again. Besides, she was his friend, a good friend, and he didn't want to mess that up. He didn't have too many friends outside the gang and his family, and definitely not one who could help him when he got into a jam. What he'd said to her, it was all a joke. Something to get her mind off Wilson. He didn't mean to cause a real problem for her.

All Mac knew was one minute Logan was smiling and joking, and the next... Dick showed up complaining about being awake before the butt-crack of dawn, asking where the hell Ronnie was, 'cause if Logan had let her sleep in, he was volunteering to drag her ass out of bed. Logan told Dick if he ever got anywhere near Veronica's bed, he'd kill him, and the conversation between the two quickly deteriorated into ridiculous verbal jabs and threats, none of which were serious. Mac had stood by watching them, forgotten or unnoticed, she wasn't sure, until she laughed at one of Dick's comments, and then Logan turned his quick wit on her. She spared with him for a few rounds, surprising him, she thought, when she gave as good as she got. When she started teasing him about what she'd seen earlier, he realized Veronica was missing and he went to find her. But when he rejoined them, his entire demeanor changed. And when Veronica stood next to him, it was like he didn't care that she was there. Mac didn't have a chance to ask Veronica what happened, but she saw the lost look in her friend's eyes so she knew it was bad.

Dick saw the change in Logan too, but he wasn't going to ask why. He was on thin ice with Veronica and he knew it. Getting mixed up in whatever domestic squabble the two of them were having was not the way to get on her good side. Logan had warned him not to cause trouble. That it was a miracle Ronnie was letting him come at all, and it he fucked up, it would be forever before she gave him another chance. So he was keeping his mouth shut. Besides, it was Logan. Dick was sure whatever happened, the guy would apologize eventually, whether it was his fault or not, and things would get back to normal.

Wallace was completely in the dark. He'd missed everything. He tried to get the story from Mac, but she didn't know much. She told him she thought it was somehow connected to Weevil, but she wasn't sure. Wallace bet it was. He knew taking this road trip with the PCHer was a bad idea. Veronica couldn't see Weevil had a thing for her, but Wallace knew Logan saw it. Saw it clear as day. Wallace still wasn't sure how he felt about the '09er, but he knew Logan was a better match for Veronica than Weevil. Not that he thought Veronica would ever reciprocate Weevil's feelings, but just having the guy around was asking for trouble. And the cold front coming off the couple in the front seat indicated trouble had definitely arrived. The first stop they made, he was cornering his best friend and asking her exactly what the hell was going on.

--- VVV

They stopped at a small gas station after crossing the border between California and Nevada. Wallace and Mac waited anxiously for Veronica to exit the car, while Weevil hovered next to the driver's side door, having decided he needed to say something to Echolls. Dick quickly wandered off, sensing the undercurrents and not wanting to get involved.

Veronica waited, wondering if Logan had finally decided to talk to her. They didn't need gas and no one had asked to use the bathroom, so she hoped the reason he pulled over was that he wanted a minute alone with her. When he didn't exit the car with the others, she knew she was right. But she still jumped when she heard the locks click into place. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she turned to look at him.

Logan had needed the silence. Seeing Weevil standing so close to Veronica, hearing the words the PCHer said to her, it had fried nearly every rational brain cell Logan possessed. But the few that were left told him vocalizing any of the accusations rushing through his mind would have meant a complete and utter destruction of their relationship. So he clamped down on his instincts. For once, he was going to think before he opened his mouth.

Veronica wasn't Lilly. He kept reminding himself of that. Whatever he witnessed, there was an explanation. Veronica wasn't Lilly. She wouldn't do that to him. She wouldn't cheat. If she wanted out of their relationship, she'd tell him straight to his face. She wouldn't go behind his back, flirt with Weevil or any guy. She was loyal. She always had been. That's why she told Lilly about him kissing Yolanda, because she had to. Veronica wasn't Lilly. She might ask Weevil to do her a favor once in awhile, but he wasn't the guy she wanted to be with. She wanted Logan. She'd assured him of that over and over, and she wouldn't lie about it. Veronica wasn't Lilly.

About thirty miles back, the mantra he kept repeating finally sunk in. Veronica _wasn't_ Lilly. He was being ridiculous. He didn't need to convince himself because it was fact, plain and simple fact. She was friends with Weevil, something she never tried to hide, and whatever the two of them were doing, it was completely innocent. He was sure of it. It was Weevil who made the comment, not Veronica. Her response had been to push him away. And she said it was a joke. But even if it wasn't, even if Logan hadn't shown up when he did, even if Weevil pushed a little farther, Veronica would have stopped it. Because that's who she was. She'd gotten defensive - big deal. She was probably waiting for him to blow up and reacted before he could. That made more sense than anything else. He knew he was right. He had to be. So he'd ask her flat-out, and when she told him what he already knew to be true, he'd drop the subject. They'd go back to the way things had been that morning and enjoy the rest of the trip.

But his pep talk didn't stop him from being nervous. This was a big step for Logan, a big walking-off-a-cliff step. He didn't look at her when he spoke, his words barely above a whisper. "Were you flirting with him?"

After so much silence, his voice shocked her, but Veronica immediately responded. "No. No." She adamantly shook her head. "No. We were talking, arguing, joking, but I was _not_ flirting."

Logan sighed in relief. He dropped his chin to his chest, gave a pray of thanks to whatever god was listening, and when he raised his head again, he was smiling. Not a huge smile, but a smile just the same. "Okay." He unlocked the doors.

Veronica quickly locked them again from her side, not sure what was going on, and wary of his strange behavior. "Wait. That's it?"

Logan shrugged. "If you say you weren't flirting, I believe you." He hit the locks again. "Would you grab me a soda out of the cooler? I'm going to the bathroom."

Veronica held down the lock with her finger as Logan continued to try to open the door. "But we need to talk about this," panic in her voice now. _Too easy. It's too easy_, she thought.

Logan leaned across the seat and pulled her hand away from the door. "No, we really don't." Then he exited the car before she could stop him.

Weevil was waiting for him, but Logan ignored him. He swept passed the biker before a word could be exchanged. Thing were good with Veronica. The same couldn't be said for Weevil. She wasn't flirting, but he'd heard what the guy said and Weevil was definitely hitting on her. Logan would deal with him later when his girlfriend wasn't around.

Veronica scrambled out of the SUV. That feeling was back. The one where she felt she'd been dropped into the Twilight Zone. She wasn't prepared for Logan's simple acceptance of the situation, and the fact that he wasn't mad, somehow, made her mad. They weren't done talking. "Logan Echolls! You come back here right this minute!"

Logan didn't stop or turn around, so Veronica took off after him, but Mac and Wallace descended on her. Wallace grabbed her arm before she could run off. "What's going on? What are you two fighting about?"

Veronica yanked free. "We're not fighting." She switched directions, but Mac blocked her path from the other side. She was trapped. "Guys, I'm a little busy right now. Can we talk later?" Logan was getting farther and farther away from her.

Mac's voice was calmer than Wallace's accusing tone. "You two haven't said a word to each other in hours. And now you're yelling at him." Veronica tried to dodge her, but Mac wouldn't budge. "What happened to the plan? What happened to the make Logan happy plan?"

Wallace frowned as he looked between the two girls. "There's a plan?"

Mac rolled her eyes. "Focus, Wallace. Please!" Boys were so easily distracted. "What happened in the parking lot? You two were all over each other this morning, and then suddenly everything changed."

Wallace regrouped. "Yeah. And what does he have to do with it?" He motioned towards Weevil who was rounding the front of the SUV. "Because I know he's involved."

Veronica watched Logan disappear around the corner of the gas station. She wasn't thrilled about the idea of busting into the men's room, but it wouldn't be the first time her and Logan had talked in a bathroom. At least they'd have some privacy. Now all she had to do was get away from her friends. "Logan and I aren't fighting. We're having a minor disagreement. Nothing to worry about. But I _need to talk to him_. Which I can't do if I'm _standing here_ _talking to you_!" She pointed at Weevil. "And you! You pull a stunt like that again, and you'll find out exactly how scary I really am. My taser and Back-Up will be the least of your worries."

Wallace turned on the PCHer, his wrath redirected. "I knew you did something!"

Veronica smiled. Just the opening she needed. She side-stepped Wallace, evaded Mac's hands, and ran after Logan.

--- VVV

The bathroom door flew open and Veronica marched in. Logan's hand hovered over the zipper of his jeans. Remarkably, he wasn't as surprised to see her as he probably should have been. "As rich and diverse as my fantasy life is, even I don't want to have sex in the men's room of a gas station." He made a quick sweep of the room with his eyes. "Especially this men's room. It's disgusting in here."

Veronica ignored his attempt at humor, too annoyed and too flustered to care. "We weren't finished talking," she said through clenched teeth.

"Yes we were. You said you weren't flirting and I believed you. What more is there to talk about?" Logan pointed to the urinal. "I do have to pee. So either leave or you're going to get a show." He arched his brow in challenge. Veronica raised her own eyebrow as she folded her arms across her chest. Logan sighed. And then the sound of his zipper being pulled down echoed through the small room.

Veronica's eyes flicked down and back up again. It was by shear strength of will alone that she didn't blush like the sorta-virgin she was. So she peaked. Of course she peaked! She'd been sleeping with Logan for almost a week, waking up to his hand cupped around her breast and his morning wood pressed against her butt. There would have been something seriously wrong with her if she didn't look at him when given the chance. She already had a good idea about his size; seeing it was confirmation to what she already knew. And yes, when they did have sex, she was going to be one happy girl. "You say you believe me and then walk away. Did you really think that was the end of it?"

"Would you have preferred I said I _didn't_ believe you and then walked away?" Logan began to pee, not self-conscious at all.

Veronica threw her hands in the air. "Stop being a jackass!"

Logan sighed again, dropping the sarcasm. "I asked you a question. You answered. I believe you told me the truth. What more do you want from me?"

"See, that's the problem." Veronica began to pace in the small space. "You say you believe me, but I don't believe you. This is not how you react. You aren't the calm, cool, collected type. You get jealous. You fight, you yell, you scream."

"And that's what you want?" Logan was genuinely confused. "Christ, Ronnie, I'm trying to be reasonable here."

"If I wanted someone reasonable, I'd be dating -" Veronica stopped herself from saying it, but she knew it was too late. She closed her eyes and waited for the storm.

Logan looked at the ceiling, clicking his tongue against the inside of his cheek, his anger barely in check. "You are bound and determined to piss me off today, aren't you? Did you wake up this morning and say 'Today, I'm going to fight with Logan. We haven't fought in days. It's about time we started again.' Is that how the conversation in your head went?"

"Not exactly." Veronica almost leaned against the wall, but she realized the bathroom was disgusting like Logan said, and she straightened. And then the outright ridiculousness of the situation hit her and she started to laugh. She was in a gas station men's room, arguing with him because he believed her when she told him the truth. She had completely lost her mind!

Logan finished peeing, zipped up and headed for the sink. As he washed his hands, he watched her in the mirror, a worried expression on his face due to her outburst. "I don't know what's going on with you today. First, there's the unconventional wardrobe. And then -"

"You noticed the skirt?" He hadn't commented on it all morning and Veronica was beginning to wonder, even before the fight, if wearing it was a good idea. Meg had borrowed it from her sister, saying Logan would appreciate it. It was shorter than anything Veronica would normally wear and much, much tighter.

Logan snorted. "If that's what you're calling it. I'd call it a belt. I can practically see your underwear when you sit down."

Veronica fingered the edge of the skirt, smiling at him. "So that means you like it." Logan met her eyes in the mirror. She watched them darken in a way that had nothing to do with anger. Then he blinked, and the desire was gone.

He pulled a few paper towels out of the dispenser. "Then I catch you - yes, I said catch you - standing so close to Weevil you might as well be kissing him and he's leering at you. But I don't say a word, because I already got yelled at this week for being a jealous boyfriend." He turned, leaning against the sink as he threw the towels in the trash. "Instead I say nothing. I wait until I've calmed down, because I know if I don't, I'll only make the situation worse."

Guilt started creeping back up on her. Veronica shifted her weight back and forth between her feet. "And contrary to my current behavior, I appreciate that."

Logan nodded, then continued. "So I decide to ask you what happened. No jumping to conclusions. No misunderstandings. I'll ask you because you wouldn't lie to me. And when you tell me you weren't flirting, I believe you. Again, because you wouldn't lie to me. And yet... I still get yelled at." Finally, his anger surfaced. He pushed off from the sink and got in Veronica's face. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"I don't know," she whispered, as confused as he was. Then she took a step back and pulled herself up to her full height. "I don't know," she said again in her normal voice. "You... you took me by surprise. I don't know how to react to you like this. Jealous Logan I'm prepared to deal with. Rational Logan throws me off my game."

Logan ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "I'm trying to be better with you. For you. I'm trying to be less of the jackass you're always accusing me of being, but I can't win. How can I, when no matter what I do, you're still not happy."

Veronica chewed on her bottom lip. "I'm sorry. It's just -"

"Am I that big a jerk?" Logan waved his hand in front of her face. "No, don't answer that. I know I'm that big a jerk. I know I've been that big a jerk to you for a long time now. But is that all you think I am? That's all I'm capable of being?" It was his turn to start pacing. "This thing between us, it didn't start out right. We were hiding from everyone, and then you needed to find out what happened at Shelley's, and then figure out Lilly's murder. You kept accusing me of things, and I understood why." Hurt and disappointment overcame the anger in his voice. "But I thought we were past that. I thought we were finally at a point where I wasn't always the bad guy. So I guess I need you to explain to me, right now, why, even when I'm doing something right, I'm still wrong."

Veronica reached for him, but Logan evaded her touch, so she let her hand drop back to her side. "You're not wrong. You're just not what I expected." The Formica looked clean enough, so she hopped up on the counter of the sink. "We both changed after Lilly's death. Both of us, we got... harder. Tougher. I was always so trusting before, but the past two years, every time I turn around, the people I trust betray me. So I don't trust as easily now. I guess... I guess I thought it would be the same for you." Veronica looked down, watched her legs swing back and forth. "But you... you still trust people. After everything that's happened. If I found you with..." She searched her mind for an appropriate substitute. "Madison. If I found you with Madison the same way you found me with Weevil, I'm not sure I'd believe you if you told me you weren't flirting. Eventually, I probably would, but it would definitely take time. I was so geared up for a fight, I wasn't ready for you to let it go. And when you did, I didn't know how to react. You didn't do anything wrong, and you're not the bad guy. You're the complete opposite of the bad guy. You're being the perfect boyfriend. The hotel suite, the picnic, the massage. I understand that stuff, because it's a little over the top, and it's so you. And I appreciate all of it. But the normal every day stuff, when you don't react, or overreact the way I expect you to, that's the stuff I don't understand. It's not what I expect, so I..." She looked up, tilted her head, not sure she had his full attention. "Logan? Are you listening to me?"

An evil grin spread across his face. "No, I'm looking at your underwear."

Veronica glanced down at the borrowed skirt riding high, high up on her thighs. "Great. I pour my heart out and you're being a lech." She jumped down. "Forget everything I just said. You are a jackass and a jerk."

She headed for the door, but Logan stopped her, wrapping his arms around her from behind and pulling her back towards him. "I was listening. I heard what you said. But I was also enjoying the view." He teased close to her ear, "You're wearing pink panties."

Veronica huffed, but she smiled in spite of his outrageousness, or maybe because of it. "Keep this up and it's the only time you're ever going to see them."

Logan brought her flush against his body, repositioned them so they were once again standing in front of the mirror, looking at each other through the glass. "I understand the over the top stuff better too. The grand gestures, the big dramas. I'm used to living that way." He ran his hand down the side of her cheek. "The day-to-day being with someone is new to me, but I like it. I like being with you. So I'm learning how to do it. And I don't trust a lot of people, but I trust you. You are probably the most moral person I know. That's why I know you wouldn't lie to me, not about this."

Veronica took his hand and threaded their fingers together. "So we really are okay? You really do believe me?" she asked, wonder in her voice.

"Of course I believe you." Logan kissed her cheek. "If I can't believe you, I can't believe anybody." He rested his chin on her shoulder. "I'm sorry about giving you the silent treatment. I needed some time to think."

"I understand. After all, I'm the queen of I-need-space." It was a disgusting little bathroom and it smelled of bleach and other things, but at the moment, it was exactly where Veronica wanted to be. "I glad you decided to come with us. If it had been me, I would have bailed."

Logan's eyes narrowed and his lips tightened into a thin line. "And leave you with lover boy? I don't think so."

"There's my jealous boyfriend. I wondered where he was hiding." Veronica turned, looping her arms around Logan's neck, so happy things were back to normal. "Are you going to kiss me anytime soon?"

Logan held her away from him, once again surveying the room. "Not in here. But I saw a picnic table outside I wouldn't mind bending you over." He pinched her butt and Veronica squealed.

---TBC

And we're off to Vegas! There will be much more Dick, Wallace and Mac in the coming chapters, I promise. We will find out exactly why Weevil needs to be there, Meg's plan will unfold, and Weevil and Logan will... talk.

I know in this chapter Logan's character is a little off, but I want him to grow more than he did in the show. He's a great guy who's been dumped on most of his life, yet he has always been able to see his own flaws. I think if you're that self-aware, you should be able to correct those flaws too. I hope everyone is okay with my take on him.

Thanks again for all the great reviews. You keep me inspired!


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**Authors Note: I know it's been forever since I updated this story. I'm sorry for the delay. My life took an unexpected turn and everything was put on hold. But I'm back and ready to write again. I reread the story, tried to submerse myself in all things Veronica, and I found there were certain plot points with which I was no longer happy. So, I've edited each chapter, rewritten some dialog and changed little things here and there. You may want to reread it yourself before reading this chapter or a few conversations might not make sense. As always thanks for the great reviews. And here we go! **

**Your LoVe is Like Las Vegas**

In the back seat, Dick flipped through the stack of DVDs sitting in his lap. "These are yours?" he asked the girl sitting next to him.

"Uh, huh," Mac replied absently. She hadn't said much to the blonde '09er during the first part of the trip. Wedged between him and Wallace in the backseat, she'd directed most of her conversation to the boy on her right. But since the gas station, Wallace hadn't been particularly talkative. The weirdness in the car had migrated to him. He'd either been mumbling to himself as he stared out the window or casting death glances over his shoulder at Weevil. Actually he'd been staring at Weevil since Veronica ran off to straighten things out with Logan. Mac wasn't sure what was going on, but then, that seemed to be the theme of the day.

"But there's some really good stuff here," a mystified Dick continued. "There's not a chick-flick in the bunch."

Mac gave up trying to figure out what was wrong with Wallace and turned her full attention to Dick. "Not all chicks are into chick-flicks. I happen to prefer the sci-fi, comic book and comedy genres, with a little action mixed in."

"But you're a girl," Dick persisted.

Veronica turned her head towards the backseat. "Dick, get over it. I like _South Park_ and _The Big Lebowski_. Just because we're girls doesn't mean we're fascinated with _The Bridges of Madison County_. You need to stop hanging out with the Heathers. They're giving you a warped view of the world."

Dick scratched his head. "Heather? Is that the freshman with the…?" He cupped his hands in front of his chest, the ultimate male sign language for big boobs.

Veronica huffed in disgust, but didn't comment. Instead she looked to her boyfriend. "Logan, dear. Could you take this one, please?"

"No problem." Logan's eyes flickered to Dick in the rearview mirror. "You're thinking of Stacey."

"Stacey," Dick drew out the name as he smiled smarmily. "I should call her."

Veronica swatted at Logan. "That's not what I meant!"

Logan chuckled, knowing his answer would rile her. "I was getting to it. Calm down, sugarpuss." He straightened in his seat, cleared his throat. "_Heathers_. Late eighties movie starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. Probably one of the best high school flicks of all time. Ryder is part of the coolest high school clique, the Heathers. She meets Slater, a James Dean type character, and with his influence becomes disenchanted with their elitist ways. Together they kill the most popular kids in school, but make it look like a string of suicides."

"I remember now," Dick said, then mumbled under his breath, "Sorta."

"It's one of my favorite Winona roles. I love how she pretends to be friends with the same people she's stabbing in the back." Logan's eyes twinkled. He tilted his head in thought, his voice full of sarcasm. "But I can't seem to remember her character's name. It's right on the tip of my tongue. What was it again?"

Mac did her best to hide her smile, knowing they were going to get in so much trouble for this, but playing along anyway. "I think it was… Veronica, wasn't it?"

"Ah, yes. Veronica." Logan glanced at his girlfriend, pushing her buttons and loving every second of it. "Such a little bitch."

Veronica's eyes narrowed. "Actually it was her _boyfriend_ who was doing all the killing. He even contemplates killing her, but she outsmarts him by faking her own suicide." She crossed her arms in front of her smugly. "That Veronica, she was one smart cookie. Her psychotic jackass of a boyfriend never stood a chance."

"Yeah, well, you start wearing a red bow in your hair or Echolls starts carrying a copy of Moby Dick, I'm still gonna worry," a voice said from the far back. "I wouldn't put it past either of you to blow-up the school."

Veronica's mouth dropped open in shock as she spun around in her seat, Logan forgotten for the moment. "Weevil, you're a _Heathers_ fan?"

"I like a good dark comedy now and then. _Heathers _happens to be one of my favorites." Weevil leaned over the seat, one hand resting near Mac's shoulder, actively participating in conversation for the first time during the trip. "Have you ever seen _Death to Smoochy_? Now that's a damn good flick."

Dick whipped his head to the side; amazed he had anything in common with the gang leader. "Hell ya! Robin Williams kicks ass in that movie!"

The conversation picked-up from there as they went around the car, throwing out names of their favorite movies, sometimes quoting famous lines. Mac nudged Wallace a few times, trying to get him to join in, but he steadfastly remained grumpy. She wasn't that surprised. It seemed impossible for this group to all be on the same page at the same time. She waited for Dick to finish his Spicoli impersonation, which happened to be dead-on, then threw-out, "Worst movie you've ever seen."

Before anyone else could respond, Logan rattled off a list of his father's films. There was a moment of dread as uncomfortable silence returned to the car. But a heartbeat later, Dick cuffed the back of his best friend's head. "Dude, you're totally disqualified."

"Disqualified?" Logan sounded amazed. "Those were legitimate answers. Come on. The only movie worse than _Breaking Point _is _Beyond the Breaking Point_."

But Dick kept shaking his head. "Number one, way too obvious. You might as well have said _Gigli_. Number two, it's like taking your cousin to prom. The fact that you're related means it's not an actual date. You can't use your dad's movies, no matter how horrible they are. Ronnie, back me up here."

"He's right." Veronica smiled sweetly, more than happy to side with Dick after Logan's earlier comment. She patted his cheek. "Payback's a bitch. And according to you, so am I."

Dick snorted in agreement. "Now, worst movie you've ever seen _not _staring Aaron Echolls. And Logan, keep your pie-hole shut."

--- VVV

By the time Logan pulled into the roundabout at the Hard Rock it was almost three. He waved away the valet, then turned to look at the others. "We got here later than I thought, so how about you guys do lunch without us? I think we need to get to the dealership as soon as we can if we want to make it back home tonight."

"How long do you think you'll be?" Mac asked as she checked her bag to make sure she had everything she needed.

Veronica tapped her fingers on the seatback, running through the day's agenda in her head. "I want to test drive the car and then they'll be paperwork to fill out. I don't think we'll be done before five."

Mac nodded in agreement. "So it'll probably be at least six before we start to head back."

"If we're lucky," Veronica said, hoping things ran smoothly at the dealership. "I'll call when we're finished or at five, whichever comes first. Worse case scenario, you don't hear from us or you guys get separated, let's plan to meet back here at six."

Logan reached over and punched Dick in the shoulder. "Hey! That last part was directed at you, asshat. Keep an eye on the time. I know how you get when you're in a casino. I will leave without you."

"Yeah, whatever," Dick said distractedly, then he pumped his arms in the enclosed space and made 'woo, woo' noises. "Vegas, baby! Bring on the free drinks and hookers."

"Dick," Veronica started with warning in her voice, but Logan waved her away. He pulled two hundred dollar bills out of his wallet and handed them to his friend.

Dick stuffed the money into his pocket. "Got it, dude." He opened the door to head out. "Come on, newbies. I'm feeling lucky."

Mac narrowed her eyes at Veronica. "I can't believe you're leaving me to babysit Dick Casablancas. This should qualify me for combat pay."

Veronica gave her a sympathetic smile. "You have the ID I made you? Wallace, you have yours too?" Wallace nodded, but didn't say anything as he exited the car. Veronica sighed. He hadn't said much the second part of the trip. She knew he was upset about something, but she hadn't wanted to question him in a car full of people. "What's going on with him?" she asked Mac.

Mac hoped with a little time away from Weevil, Wallace's temper tantrum would disappear. Veronica didn't need any more headaches or fights right now. "Nothing you need to worry about. Just have fun buying your car. I promise to keep an eye on Grumpy and Dopey." Mac smiled at her own joke and then she too was gone.

Weevil switched seats as he gave Logan a quick rundown of the directions to the dealership. Once they'd pulled back into traffic, Veronica turned to look at her boyfriend. "Why did you give Dick two hundred dollars?"

"You're not the only one with access to fake IDs. Dick and I have been to Vegas before. And when I come to Vegas, the first thing I do is play a hundred on roulette. Black. It's tradition." Logan gave her a cheesy smile. "I put down an extra hundred for you. Say thank you."

"If you thought I was going to argue, you're wrong. You win, I'm keeping the money." She settled herself back in her seat. "Just letting you know."

--- VVV

Thirty minutes later, they were walking around the lot of the dealership. An upscale car mall filled with luxury brands and an assortment of foreign cars Veronica had heard of, but never seen up close. "So, Paco, are you going to tell us why you had to come along or -" Logan stopped in his tracks, dropped his arm from around Veronica's shoulder. "Are those Astin Martin convertibles?"

"Well, I see where I stand." Veronica watched her boyfriend make a beeline for the imported cars parked on the lot, leaving her with a guy he said he didn't trust alone with her. She turned to Weevil. "Why did you have to come? You never explained it to me."

Weevil waited until Logan was far enough away not to overhear their conversation. Then just to be safe, he put more distance between them by leading Veronica back towards the Suburban. "V, I'm not goin' back with you."

The smile slowly slipped from Veronica's face as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. "What are you talking about?"

Weevil rubbed the top of his head, not liking what was coming. "I'm gonna stay with my cousin tonight, then head out tomorrow. My uncle wants me to drive a car back for him."

Veronica took two steps back from him, her eyes narrowing. "What's going on, Eli?"

Use of the real name. Not good. Weevil knew this wasn't going to go over well. Knew she wouldn't be able to accept what he said without asking questions. "Nothin'. I'm doin' a favor for my uncle. Just like I'm doin' a favor for you."

Veronica studied him, noted how his eyes wouldn't quite meet hers. She lowered her voice to barely above a whisper. "Are you transporting drugs?"

"What?" Weevil was legitimately shocked. "Hell, no! I don't do that crap. Yeah, I sell a little weed, but the hard stuff, that's the Fitzpatricks. You think I want to put myself on the feds' radar?"

"Then why am I just hearing about this change of plans now?" Veronica wrapped her arms around her midsection, physically closing herself off from him. "Why didn't you tell me to begin with? I thought you had to come because your cousin said so? You never mentioned your uncle."

Weevil shifted from side-to-side uncomfortably. They had an understanding. She knew he did things over the line of legal, but he didn't flaunt his activities in front of her and she didn't ask too many questions. This was changing the rules on her. And Veronica didn't like it when you changed the rules. "Let it go, V."

"No," Veronica's voice grew louder. "It's blatantly apparent that you used me to get here and I demand – no, I deserve an explanation. Tell me what's going on, or I'm going to get Logan. And after what happened this morning, he's just itching for a reason for the two of you to go at it."

The last thing Weevil needed was a throw down with Echolls in the middle of the dealership. It would get back to his uncle, who had warned him not to draw unwanted attention. Weevil had to trust her to keep her mouth shut. "I'll tell you what's goin' on, but you can't tell Richie Rich. Got it?" Reluctantly, Veronica nodded in agreement. Weevil set his jaw. "I mean it, V. You can't tell him."

Veronica sighed, frustrated but knowing this was the best she was going to get. "Fine. I won't tell Logan. As long as you tell me the truth. You lie to me and all bets are off."

"I'll tell you what I can, and then you're gonna drop it. For your own good. This is family business. I shouldn't be tellin' you any of it." Weevil scanned the area again, making sure no one was watching them or listening. "My cousin did tell me about convertible. I didn't lie about that. But my uncle is the one who said I had to come with you. The guy who owns this place, my uncle knows him from way back. They got something goin' on. Every now and then, we get a car in the shop with Nevada plates. I don't work on 'em and I don't know what happens to 'em. I don't ask."

"Jesus Christ," Veronica spat out. "You're uncle is running a chop-shop across state lines? Do you have any idea -"

"Hey!" Weevil stopped her. "My uncle supports his family, plus he gives money to my grandma every month. He's the reason she still has her house. Who do you think's been paying the bills since your boyfriend's family fired her? Who do you think's been putting food on the table for my little cousins?" He shook his head in disgust. "Your dad use to be the sheriff. Now he takes pictures of guys gettin' a little slap-and-tickle on the side. Don't you look down your nose at my family. You do what you gotta do to survive."

Veronica sucked in her breath; the comment about her dad a direct hit. But she was still angry. "What if you get caught? Are you willing to go to jail for this?" She threw up her hands. "Of course you are. You were willing to take the rap before. Why should this be any different."

Weevil winced, but recovered quickly. "All I'm gonna do is drive a car. I'll have the papers. It's all legit."

Veronica snorted. Legit her ass. Her anger at being used aside, she was also worried about Weevil. He was a good guy. He did things she didn't like, sometimes for her, but the things his family asked of him... One day they were going to get him into real trouble and she wouldn't be able to help. "Just get the car now and drive back with us. If something happens -"

Weevil cut her off. "If something happens, I don't want you connected to it." His voice was firm. "I'll drive back tomorrow by myself."

Veronica knew she wasn't going to persuade him. Weevil's mind was made up. And truthfully, if the cops did get involved, she didn't want to be a part of it. One less thing to explain to her dad. One less reason for Logan to hate Weevil. She was forced to let it go. For now. "Well, the least I can do is thank your cousin. He works in the body shop, right?"

"Uh, yeah. That ain't gonna happen." Weevil rubbed his head again. When they got home, she was going to kill him. "Did I forget to mention that it's my cousin Chardo who works here?"

And the hits just keep on coming, Veronica thought. "Chardo? Chardo who was doing Caitlin Ford at the same time she was dating Logan? Chardo who stole credit cards from the Echolls and let you take the blame? Chardo who you threw out of the -"

"I know what he did," Weevil growled. He followed Veronica as she started walking away. "My grandma was mad at him, but she was worried about him too. She asked my uncle to help him out." Weevil grabbed her arm. "Come on, V. You'd do the same for family."

"Logan's going to go ballistic," Veronica muttered under her breath. Then she pushed her hair out of her face. "Chardo's still wanted for credit card fraud. How the hell did he get a job here?"

"I told you, my uncle's a friend of the owner. Look, Chardo's working off the books, laying low. No one knows he's here but me and my uncle. Even my grandma doesn't know. We just told her he was safe." Weevil gave her one more pleading look. "He's eighteen, you know what will happen if the cops find him."

"Big boy jail," Veronica said, then she made low, guttural noise. "I can't believe you didn't tell me about this! Any of this. If I had known I could have come up with some way to keep Logan in Neptune. What are you going to do when he sees Chardo? Do you think you're going to be able to convince _him_ not to call the police?"

"He ain't gonna see him." Weevil made sure Logan was still interested in the foreign cars. "You two go for your test drive. When you come back, I'll say my cousin asked me to stay the night. After that, you can sign the papers and get the hell outta here. Echolls isn't gonna ask questions. Unless he decides to take a tour of the service department, he'll never know."

"This is Logan we're talking about. I wouldn't put it past him." She paced back and forth, hating the fact that she was trapped. "There's not much I can do about it now, is there? I can't believe you put me in this position," she said again.

Weevil pulled a business card out of his wallet and passed it to her. "This is the guy you want to talk to. He knows you're coming. He's got all your info. I'm gonna find Chardo."

Veronica stopped him before he could walk away, not wanting to leave things on a bad note. After all, Weevil was doing the best he could. "Tell him I said thank you for the car. And call me when you get home so I know your safe."

Weevil patted her arm. "Stop worrying so much. It's all gonna be fine."

"It better be." And then Veronica went to collect her boyfriend.

--- VVV

They'd been test-driving the car for about fifteen minutes, Veronica driving, Logan playing with all the buttons, making sure everything worked, when she glanced over at him. "We need to talk."

Logan switched the air from heat to cool, not looking at her. "Do I need a lawyer present?"

"Not that kind of talk." Veronica knew she needed to tread lightly. She didn't want Logan to get defensive and close himself off. This was too important. "You didn't say much when you got back to the suite last night."

Logan tensed, then forced himself to relax back in the seat. His voice was clipped, but not angry. "I can't tell you. You know I can't tell you. And even if I could, I wouldn't. Aaron's done enough to you. You don't need this in your head too."

"I don't care what's on those tapes. Not the specifics and not the names. The under-age girls, they're victims too. I don't want to invade their privacy. The feds will do enough of that." Veronica tried to approach the situation delicately. "When you came back, I know you were angry, but you were hurting too. You barely slept. You tossed and turned all night."

Logan sat up straighter. "Did I keep you awake?"

"I don't care about that!" Veronica mentally kicked herself for yelling. She spotted a small gas station up ahead. "Hold on a minute." She turned into the parking lot and cut the engine. She took a few deep breathes, gathered her thoughts. "I know you can't tell me what you saw, but you can tell me how you feel about it. The last week, the last two weeks, they've been hell for both of us. And I'm amazed you're keeping it together. But I don't want you burying your feelings. They'll come out when you least expect it, in ways you won't be able to control. We've talked about this. I know you're hurting. Just let me in, Logan. Please."

He was quiet for a while, but Veronica knew he was thinking, not ignoring her, so she waited. When he finally spoke, his voice was... It wasn't Logan. "I wasn't angry at Aaron last night. What your dad said about there not being enough evidence to convict him of Lilly's murder, I know he's right. The traffic cameras were a dead end. The police can't place him at the Kane's house. So the tapes, the girls, they're what's going to put Aaron behind bars. Each face I recognize is just another nail in his coffin. Another reason that I'll never have to see that bastard again."

Veronica was confused. "Then what..."

"I keep thinking about my mom. Wondering if she knew. I mean, I know she knew he cheated. But did she know about all of them? Did she know about the tapes? Did she know about Lilly?" He turned to look out the passenger window, to hide his face from her, but Veronica heard the catch in his voice and she knew he was close to breaking-down. "I wasn't angry at Aaron. I was angry at her. She could have left. She could have left and taken me with her. She didn't need to kill herself to get away from him."

It was awkward, but Veronica managed to climb over the console and into the passenger's seat, wiggling around until she was straddling Logan's legs. He roughly pulled her to him, buried his head in her chest. He was crying now, crying so hard he was shaking. Veronica laid her cheek on the top of his head, held on to him as tightly as he held her. "I'm sorry, Logan. I'm so sorry."

For once, Logan didn't fight for control of his emotions. He let the tears come, crushing Veronica to him. Watching the videos was bad. Knowing the horrible things Aaron had done was worse. But the absolute rage he felt towards his mother mirrored his feelings towards Lilly. Two women he loved who had betrayed him in the most unthinkable ways. And he would never understand why. Logan knew Veronica was whispering words of comfort, but he could barely hear them above his own sobs. Not that he needed to. Just knowing she was there, that she understood, was all he really needed. She was right - the past few weeks had been hell, but they had each other. He couldn't imagine going through it all alone. "Why did she leave me?"

There were things Veronica wanted to say. Things about people being weak, deciding to take the easy way out. About selfish women who cared more about themselves than their children. But none of it was what he needed. And putting her issues about her mother onto Lynn wouldn't help. "She loved you, Logan. She did the best she could. You have to believe that." The words tasted like acid in her mouth, but she knew they were the right ones.

Logan continued to hold her until his tears stopped and his breathing was back to normal. "Can I ask you a question?" he asked, his voice still hoarse. Veronica stroked his hair in reply. "What's up with the change in wardrobe? Not that I'm complaining."

Veronica pulled away slightly and looked down. Her legs, spread around his, had pushed her skirt way up. It was almost the belt he'd called it earlier. "There was a plan here," she said with seriousness.

Logan's eyes brightened. "Yeah?" He slid his hands down her back to cup her butt, his fingers grazing the back of her thighs. "Tell me about this plan."

Veronica reveled in the sparks of pleasure that shot through her body. "Boyfriend friendly short skirt. Drive in the middle of nowhere. I was going to let you round a few bases in the back seat. Make it a Happy Logan Day." She sighed. "But then I had to open my big mouth and ruin it."

"You didn't ruin anything." Logan dropped kisses on her exposed collarbone, squeezed her rear. "Have I mentioned how much I love the new wardrobe?"

Veronica laughed as he began to nuzzle the side of her neck. "It's a loaner, so don't get used to it." Logan inched his fingers around to the front of her body, making her tremble. She took a shuttering breath as she made her decision. "You know," she whispered, "this place is dead. We could still hop in the back and - "

"No," Logan barked, and then instantly stopped what he was doing, his hands sliding off of her. "No."

Once again, Veronica was confused. She was sitting in his lap; she knew he was interested. "But -"

"You're mad at Weevil," Logan said plainly. "I don't know what happened, but your mad at him. Which means your thinking about him. And I'm thinking about my mom and Aaron." He tried to tug her skirt back down. "When we do this, any of this, I'll be damned if your thinking about another guy and I'm thinking about my parents."

Veronica let his words sink in. "You're right. You're right. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. And if you want to continue this when we get home tonight, I'm all for it." Logan helped her into her own seat, pinching her butt and making another comment about her pink panties, which made Veronica blush. Once they were back on the road, he continued to test the car's systems. "What happened with Weevil anyway? It's not about this morning. I know that. You were fine until we got to the dealership."

"I promised him I wouldn't say anything." She held up a free hand to stop him from commenting. "It has nothing to do with you or me. It involves Weevil's family. I don't gossip about your family, I'm not going to gossip about his. Let's just say, I think he's being used, and I don't like it." She was being used too, but that was the last thing she was going to say to Logan. "I'm sorry I let it ruin our day."

"Would you stop. Our day isn't ruined." Logan played with the hair at the nape of her neck. "The sun is shining. I'm riding around in a convertible with my incredibly sexy girlfriend. I'm out of Neptune, which is always a plus. There are no reporters, no cops. Trust me, this is one of the best days I've had in a long time."

--- VVV

Mac watched Dick lose another hundred on craps and shook her head. "Now he's just throwing money away. If I was as bad as him, I'd find another game." She glanced at Wallace, who was still sulking. "Okay. What is up with you? We're in Vegas. We have fake IDs. And you have the same expression on your face as my grandfather when I asked him to try my tofu surprise." Wallace said nothing. Mac, sick of the whole thing, dragged him over to a couple of open slot machines and pushed him onto a stool. "Spill already. You're driving me crazy."

Wallace twisted around on his seat, but Mac followed, keeping her eyes plastered on his face. Her expression showed she wasn't giving up. Wallace had seen that face before, usually on his best friend. "He's got a thing for her. You know that, right? Weevil? He's got a thing for Veronica."

Mac made a 'give me more' motion with her hand. "Yeah. So? Weevil's got a crush. I'm sure half of the guys she's helped out of jams this year have a crush on her. Nothing's going to happen. She's with Logan. And even if she wasn't, Weevil's not her type."

"I didn't think Logan was her type either, but they're dating." Wallace shook his head, mystified. "She's been doing a lot of things lately that aren't typical Veronica behavior. Hell, she's living Logan."

"Oh, please," Mac said as she crossed her arms in front of her. "Her dad's in the hospital and she's being hounded by reporters day and night. I think staying at a hotel where there is security is pretty damn smart of her. I know, actually taking herself out of a possibly dangerous situation isn't normal for her, but if that's atypical Veronica behavior, I'm all for it. And I still don't understand what this has to do with Weevil."

Wallace leaned back against the slot machine. He knew trying to explain wasn't going to be easy. It was more about a hunch than any real proof. "And I don't know what happened this morning, but I know Weevil was behind it. If she's happy with Logan, I don't want him screwing it up for her. She deserves a little happiness. Especially after everything she's been through."

Mac took the empty seat next to Wallace. "Veronica can handle Weevil. And she can handle Logan. Whatever happened earlier, they talked about it and they're fine now."

"But why is Weevil here?" Wallace asked the question with suspicion. "He found her a car. That's great. But why did he have to come along? She couldn't pick-up the car by herself? When I asked her, she gave me some lame story about his cousin saying he had to come with her. That doesn't make any sense. And then he's the cause of a fight between her and Logan? I think he's trying to insinuate himself into her life. And I don't like it."

Mac decided to concede the point. "I'll admit, the cousin thing does sound a little lame, but maybe there is a better reason and Veronica didn't tell you. It wouldn't be the first time she's kept a secret." She waited until Wallace begrudgingly nodded in agreement. "And Weevil doesn't exactly strike me as shy. If he thought he had a shot, yes, he might ask her out, but playing games doesn't fit. He'd be more direct."

Just then, Dick came barreling up. "This place blows. I say we move to the Palms. I'm always lucky at the Palms." The pair sat silently staring at him. "What? Did you lose all your money already? 'Cause I'm not fronting you."

"No, Dick," Mac said with bite. Her annoyance at being interrupted overcoming her usual shyness. "Unlike you, I play games I actually have a chance of winning."

"Meow. The kitten has claws." Dick swiped at the air with curled fingers. "Meow. Meow. Hissssss."

Mac tried to smoother her laughter, but one snort escaped. "Why don't you get a drink at the bar over there. Wallace and I will catch up in a minute."

"Yeah, yeah." Dick continued making cat noises as he walked across the gaming floor, getting weird looks from people as he passed, scaring a couple of senior citizens.

Mac could only shake her head in disbelief. "Veronica's right. He is a dweeb." Then she turned back to Wallace. "Have you talked to her about any of this?"

"You know Veronica. I've tried to talk to her, but she won't listen. She thinks she's got everything under control. Just like she always does, right up until the second it all goes to hell." Wallace leaned forward, laced his hands behind his head. "Weevil is bad news. The more favors they do for each other, the deeper she gets sucked in. One of these days, he's going to ask for a favor that's going to put her in real danger. And she's going to do it. She won't even think about it, she'll just do it, 'cause she'll feel like she owes him."

Mac did her best to try to find the silver lining. "But maybe, just maybe, because Weevil does care, he'll be less likely to put her in danger. He won't want to see her get hurt."

Wallace stared at her like she was insane. "Do you really believe that?"

"I don't know." Mac twitched nervously on her stool, picked at a string on her shirt. "Stranger things have happened. Veronica spent six hours in a car with Dick Casablancas and she didn't kill him. Didn't even threaten him. Not once. I'd consider that a minor miracle." That at least got a smile from him. Mac didn't want him in the same funk when Veronica returned. Today was too important. "The past year has been tough, but she got through it. And now… Since she found out the truth about Lilly's murder, I think her world has actually gotten crazier, but she's been happy too. Happier than I've ever seen her. Do you think she's going to let Weevil or anyone ruin that? Have a little faith in our girl. And if you can't do that, at least fake it for the rest of the trip, because you're the one that's putting a downer on her day." Mac stood, stretched her legs. "Now, let's go collect the Neanderthal and try our luck at a different casino. It's Vegas, baby." She held out her hand. Wallace took it, letting her pull him off the stool with a groan.

---TBC


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Please don't come and try to take nothing away from me.

Feedback: As always, appreciated.

**LoVe Me Madly**

Veronica saw Logan standing at the end of a line of cars in the parking lot of the Hard Rock. She would have beat him back to the casino if he hadn't blown passed her to run the last red light. She hoped their friends were waiting, ready to get back on the road. As it was, it was going to be past one by the time they made it home. She turned down an aisle, was lucky enough to find an open space near the front. As she pulled into it, she glanced around for the others. And that's when she saw what was happening. Not that she could believe it. "What's going on?" she called as she shut the door to the Sebring and half walked/half ran over to were Logan and Wallace were standing.

Logan turned to look at her approach. He was chuckling. "I have no idea, but I wish I had a video camera. This is priceless."

Veronica rolled her eyes at his juvenile remark while she pushed past him. "If you're not going to stop it, I will."

But Wallace grabbed her arm from behind. "Don't. This is the most fun I've had all day." Veronica struggled, but he held firm.

On her other side, Logan draped his arm across her shoulder, anchoring her to him. "Relax. He's in more danger from her than she is from him. Besides, you should be loving this."

A few feet in front of the trio, Mac smacked Dick with her messenger bag – again. "You can't possibly be that stupid! No one is that stupid! I've seen fish demonstrate more intelligence than you, you big ape!"

Dick covered his head and did his best to sidestep the continuing on slot. He peeked over at Logan, but from the wide smile spread across his friend's face, he knew no help was coming from that corner. "I already said I'm sorry. What more do you want?"

"What I want, is for I you to _think_," Mac took another swing, "before you open your Big! Stupid! Mouth!" She punctuated each word with a direct hit.

"I told you, I didn't do it on purpose." Dick took a step back, dodging and weaving. What was it with these midget women constantly attacking him? "It just slipped out."

"It just slipped out," Mac mimicked as she slammed her hands flat against his chest, the force actually causing him to stumble.

"It's not the end of the world," Dick said as he quickly righted himself. And where did they get their freakish strength?

Mac ground her teeth together. "Do you have any idea how much trouble I could have gotten into?"

Hearing that, Veronica wrenched herself away from the boys, and insinuated herself between Mac and her victim. "What happened? What did he do to you?"

Mac, who until that moment hadn't realized Veronica was there, and even if she had, wouldn't have cared, roughly brushed her hair out of her face. A face that was red with rage. "That idiot," she pointed an accusing finger over Veronica's shoulder, "accused me of card counter while I was sitting at the blackjack table! Card counting!"

Dick, not as stupid as Mac thought he was, took advantage of Veronica's protection. With the petite blonde between them, his usual cocky attitude returned. "Yeah, and the dealer just laughed it off. Calm down, drama queen."

Mac pushed Veronica aside and advanced on Dick again, murder in her eyes. "Las Vegas casinos have some of the best security and surveillance equipment in the world. Including facial recognition software. They could have pulled up my driver's license, you moron. My real driver's license! The minimum they would have done was kick me out of the casino. If they actually thought I was card counting, they could have put me in the black book." She watched the revelation roll off Dick's shoulders. "And if they thought you were helping me, they would have black booked you too!"

For the first time since the whole mess started, Dick actually looked concerned. "But I didn't do anything. You were the one who was cheating!"

Mac screamed in frustration, her hands balled at her sides. "I was not cheating! I was playing the odds." She went back to beating on him, this time with her bare hands. "It's not my fault you don't understand the basic principles of blackjack! Can you even count to twenty-one?"

Logan leaned close to Wallace. "How much did he lose?"

"A couple grand," Wallace informed him, more animated than he'd been all day. "But that's not what set him off. They had a side bet going - who could win the most in an hour - and she was kicking his ass. He got frustrated and accused her of counting cards. They made the bet when they first sat down at the table. The dealer heard them, so I think he knew that Dick only said it because he was losing, but Mac has a point."

Logan shook his head. Dick _was_ an idiot. "What was the bet?"

Wallace watched as Veronica unsuccessfully tried to separate the two, almost getting clocked by a stray punch for her efforts. "Loser details the winner's car. By hand. In a bathing suit."

"Holy shit!" Logan choked out. "How did he get her to agree that?"

Wallace shrugged. "It was her idea."

Mac's arms were getting tired, so she finally caved and let Veronica drag her away. But she was still mad. "You own me, Mars. I'm talking huge!" She raised her voice. "And we're not done, Casablancas!"

Dick jogged over to the guys, while the girls stayed a good distance away. Once Mac was calm, Veronica was able to get the whole story. Towards the end, she was biting her bottom lip to keep from smiling. "I am so sorry," she managed to get out with a straight face.

"Yeah, you look sorry." Mac was not in the mood to be placated or patronized. "Can we go home now?" Veronica nodded vigorously. Mac walked over to where she'd dropped her messenger bag, muttering under her breath. "I should have gone to the go-cart races with my parents."

Veronica picked up the bag before Mac could, lugging it over own shoulder. "Look on the bright side. You won money, and a bet with an 09er. I suggest you make him wear a bikini when he washes your car. And take pictures, lots of pictures."

Mac snorted. Dick in a bikini. Intriguing, twisted, disgusting and embarrassing all at the same time. "Or I could sell tickets."

"Making money off Dick's misery. That sounds like something I'd do." Veronica pressed her hand to her chest. "I'm so proud."

"Oh, shut up," Mac said in annoyance as she started towards the boys. Dick was standing with Logan and Wallace, looking like he didn't have a care in the world. "Get me out of here before I slap him again."

"Are you sure we're not twins?" Veronica called after her.

While Mac had been informing Veronica about the day's events, Logan had been razzing Dick. He stuck out his bottom lip, a sad expression on his face. "Did the itty-bitty girl give you a boo-boo?"

Dick rubbed his stomach where one of Mac's last punches had connected with surprising accuracy. "I'm telling you, she hits like Evander Holyfield."

Although Wallace didn't know Dick that well, he joined in. It was a guy thing. "I can see it. Mac is secretly training to be a professional boxer. The vegan, pacifist, computer geek thing; it's all a cover."

Logan nodded in agreement. "That has to be it. Because the only other explanation is that Dick's a wuss. Who got his ass kicked. By a girl."

Dick huffed. "What did you expect me to do? Fight back?" He leveled his hand against his chest. "She doesn't even come up to here on me. I could have hurt her."

Logan talked directly to Wallace, pretending to ignore Dick. "I think the best part was when he covered his head and ran around in a circle. I haven't seen moves like that since kindergarten."

"Good, yes, but not the best part," Wallace quickly corrected him. "You weren't here for the start of it. The first time she hit him, he screamed like a little bitch."

"She hit me in the nut sack!" Dick said in his own defense. Both boys turned to look at him. A second passed and then they burst out laughing. Which only agitated Dick more. "Do you know how heavy that damn bag is? It was like getting hit in the balls with a brick. And I wanted to punch her. I mean, you don't do shit like that. But I knew Veronica would kill me."

Logan recovered enough to say, "I would have killed you. You don't hit girls. Ever."

"That's what I've been saying!" Dick threw-up his hands. "Neither one of you jumped in to stop her, so I didn't have a choice. I had to take it." He leaned against an old Chevy Caprice Classic. "And thanks for watching my back. I totally feel the love. Thank god Ronnie showed up. You two are useless."

Slowly, Wallace and Logan calmed down. They continued to smirk, but the riotous laughter was over. Logan put his hand on Dick's shoulder. "I'm sorry, man, but you know in my position you'd do the same thing."

"Whatever, dude." Dick shuffled his feet, his eyes trained on the ground. "I know I screwed up, but I didn't expect her to take it so hard. It was totally an accident."

"You accused her of card counting," Wallace reminded him as he leaned on the car opposite of them.

"It was an accident!" Dick said again with more force. "She kept winning and winning, and then she doubled-down on that one hand…" He shook his head in disgust. Mac had won more on that hand of cards than he'd lost since they'd sat down at the table. "Nobody's that lucky. She was doing something."

"So it wasn't an accident." That's why Logan rarely invited Dick to his poker games at home. The guy was a sore loser. Especially when someone else was winning big. "She was having good luck, you were having bad luck, and you took it out on her. Nice."

"By the way." Dick reached into his pocket and took out four hundred dollars. "You place your own bets from now on. I think you jinxed me." Dick couldn't remember a worse day in a casino. His dad was going to have a fit when he saw the amount of money he'd had taken out of his account. "I won that first bet for you and then I didn't win a dime after. I even lost on the slots."

Logan let out a low whistle as he took the money. "Damn, that sucks." He stuffed it in his wallet. It wasn't much, but at least it paid for some of the gas. "If you were on such a bad streak, why did you make the side bet with her in the first place?"

"Fuck." Dick dropped his chin to his chest. "She's gonna make me wash her car, isn't she?"

"Hell, yes," Mac said as she approached. "And if I find one scratch on my baby, you're paying for a new paint job."

Veronica gave Logan a quick kiss. "I think it's about time we head out. We're already going to be late getting home. Wallace? Are you coming with me?"

"Of course. I want to ride in your new car," Wallace said with a smile. "How did it go at the dealership?"

Veronica was happy her best friend was verbal once again. The grunted responses from earlier had really worried her. At some point, she'd have to ask him what happened, but she wasn't up for another emotional conversation right then. She linked arms with him. "Great! I have a practically brand new car and for a lot less then I would have expected to pay. It almost makes up for the loss of the Le Baron."

There was a lot Wallace wanted to say about her last statement, but he decided to let it go. Mac had been right. Veronica was happy today and he wasn't going to say or do anything to bring her down. And as long as he didn't have to ride back to Neptune with Weevil… "Aren't we missing someone?"

The question prompted Mac to look around. "Where is Weevil?"

"He decided to extend his visit with his cousin. He's going to head back to Neptune tomorrow." Wallace accepted the explanation, just as Logan had, but Veronica saw Mac's forehead wrinkle in question. She shook at head at the other girl, pleading in her eyes. Mac slowly nodded in agreement.

-VVV

Dinner was a fiasco. Well, not the beginning, Veronica amended in her head. It had been nice to actually sit down to eat with everyone instead of getting fast food on the road. It had been Logan's idea. He'd missed lunch and he said he wanted more than a crappy burger and fries. Besides, they were already going to be late, what difference could it make? So they'd stopped at a restaurant on the outskirts of Barstow. Mac, Wallace and Veronica taking the opportunity to call home, letting their parents know they would be later than expected so no one would worry. And everything had been going well.

Until Dick spoke.

He made a joke about Mac being a typical girl who ordered salad when the rest of them were getting steak. He followed that up by asking if she was trying to lose those last few pounds of baby fat. Mac's reply had been a solid kick to his shin.

For the rest of the meal, every time Dick went to open his mouth, Logan shot him a dirty look. Mac remained eerily silent, her concentration so completely focused on the plate in front of her, Veronica was worried the lettuce would burst into flames. Wallace did his best to keep conversation going, but with Logan watching Dick and Veronica watching Mac, it was a lost cause. The group skipped dessert and were soon back on the road.

Forty-five miles later, Mac was still fuming in the back seat of the Sebring. Veronica took a quick peak at her through the rearview. This was a side of Mac she'd never seen before and she didn't know quite what to make of it. "I have to say, watching you beat-up Dick was the highlight of my week, believe me, but it's a little out of character. What's going on with you, Mac?"

Mac continued to stare out the side window. "Nothing."

"Nothing? Really? That's what you're going with?" Veronica said in a flat, sarcastic tone. "Did you forget who you're talking to?"

Mac shifted uncomfortably in her seat, not enjoying being under the Mars' microscope. "He rubs me the wrong way, that's all."

Veronica knew it was more than that. It had to be. Sweet, gentle, shy Mac didn't attack people. Especially a guy who had at least a hundred pounds on her. "Are you sure? Because –"

"I said it was nothing," Mac said in the same voice she'd used earlier when dealing with Dick outside the casino. "I'm not one of your cases, Veronica. There's no mystery to solve here."

Veronica raised her eyebrows at the response. Whatever it was, Mac really didn't want to talk about it. Of course, that wouldn't last long. Veronica would get it out of her eventually. But it could wait. Instead, she turned to Wallace. "And your problem?"

Wallace straightened, surprised by the question. "I don't have a problem."

"And now you're going to act like you don't know what I'm talking about. What is it with you two?" Mac seemed genuinely upset, so Veronica was willing to cut her some slack. Wallace wasn't going to get off so easily. "Earlier today? When you were mute-boy? Care to explain?"

Wallace should have seen it coming. She wanted answers and since she wasn't getting them from Mac, she focused on him instead. He tried to turn the tables on her. "You and Logan were awfully quiet too. You want to tell me what that was about?"

Veronica chose to ignore the question, to act like Wallace hadn't said a thing. "You barely said two words. You actually grunted at me when you got out of the car at the Hard Rock. Did I do something to piss you off?"

"Tell her," Mac said simply from the back.

Wallace looked over his shoulder, confused by her too. "You told me not to say anything."

"I told you not to bring it up, but she did, so just tell her." Mac knew the best time – the only time – to tell Veronica something she didn't want to hear, was when she initiated the conversation. It might be Wallace's only chance. And it would keep Veronica from circling back to Mac's behavior. Which she couldn't explain unless she spilled everything, and she didn't want Veronica to know the stupid thing she was doing the next day.

When Wallace remained silent, Veronica glanced between him, the rearview mirror and the road. "Okay, someone better start talking or I'm pulling the car over."

Wallace hated that Mac had backed him into a corner. If he continued to say nothing, Veronica would interrogate him for the rest of the trip. "It's about Weevil," he said finally. "I'm not sure you've noticed. I mean, you'd have to be blind not to notice, and you usually pick up on things, but…" His face contorted in a mix of discomfort and frustration. "Weevil likes you."

The corner of Veronica's mouth turned up in a smirk. "I know Weevil likes me. We're friends."

"No," Wallace dragged out the word like he was talking to a two-year old. "He likes you, likes you." Veronica bit her bottom lip and Wallace groaned. "Now you've got me talking like a girl. Weevil has the hots for you. There. I said it."

Veronica started to laugh, really laugh, but when she realized the other two didn't find the comment as funny as she did, she quickly quieted down. "You're serious."

"Hell, yes, I'm serious." Truth be told, Wallace had wanted to say something about Weevil's behavior for weeks, but he'd held his tongue. With everything else going on, it hadn't seemed important enough to bother her. Now it was and he wasn't going to let her blow him off. "He thinks he's a part of your life!"

Veronica's voice grew cold, almost deadly. "Weevil _is_ a part of my life. He's my friend."

Wallace heard the tone, knew he was walking on thin ice. "I would never try to tell you who to be friends with. If I'd listened to what other people said, I wouldn't be friends with you. But Weevil…" How did he say this without making her go ballistic? "I know he's helped you out of some jams, helped you with some cases. But, girl, the way he looks at you sometimes… You might not want to see it, but I sure as hell do. And I bet Logan sees it too. You need to watch what you say and do around him, or he's going to get the wrong idea."

Veronica expected this from her boyfriend, but not from Wallace. He had more sense. "You don't understand and you should, because I know I've explained this before. Weevil is nice to me, and yes, he is protective, but it's not because he has a thing for me. It's because of Lilly."

"And because he's got a crush on you." Wallace persisted. Veronica was so good at reading people, except for those closest to her. Half the time, she didn't see what was going on right in front of her.

Veronica took a deep breath. She was driving; she couldn't lose control or they could all end up dead. _Calm_, she told herself. _You need to stay calm_. "I was Lilly's best friend, and I loved her, just like Weevil did. He wasn't able to protect her, and he's never going to forgive himself for that. So sometimes he goes out of his way to make sure I'm okay. But he does it because of Lilly. Because he thinks it's what Lilly would want him to do. It has nothing to do with me. It's all about her."

Wallace turned in his seat so he could get a better look at her. "You really believe that?"

"Yes!" Veronica said with force through clenched teeth.

Wallace shook his head, threw up his hands. "Then you're blind."

Screw calm. Wallace was being obtuse on purpose. "Weevil and I are friends. Why does it have to be more than that? Why can't he care about me without it being something else?" Veronica pointed between the two of them. "You're a guy and we're friends. Does that mean you're in love with me?"

"What happened this morning?" Wallace asked, his tone now matching hers. "What happened between you and Weevil that upset Logan so much he didn't talk to you?"

Veronica's stomach dropped. "That was a misunderstanding," she said trying to downplay the situation.

"What happened?" Wallace pushed. "Tell me now or I'll ask Logan the next time we stop."

Now it was Veronica who was backed into the corner. The last thing she wanted was Wallace prodding at Logan. Her boyfriend had been uncharacteristically reasonable, and she'd like it to stay that way. "Logan heard Weevil… sort of… make a pass at me. But it's not what it sounds like," she added quickly. "I was upset about… something that happened and Weevil was trying to make me feel better. I made a joke about him beating up Logan when Logan was drunk. And he said he could take sober Logan. And then I said he couldn't even take me. And he asked if it was a challenge. And I said it was. And then he said, if you want to touch me all you have to do is ask. And that's the part Logan heard. But it was all a joke."

"Sure it was," Wallace snorted, his suspicions confirmed. Weevil had made a pass at her. So much for Mac's theory that the biker would never try something while Veronica and Logan were dating. Wallace was amazed Logan hadn't taken a swing at the guy. He would have.

Veronica couldn't tell Wallace why she'd been upset, because then she'd have to tell him about Tad. And she was still feeling guilty about the events she'd set into motion. Weevil had only been trying to make her feel better, to lighten the mood. But there was no way to fully explain that without getting into the other stuff. So instead of specifics, she was left with generalities, which she knew weren't going to work. "I think when guys and girls are friends – just friends, they have two types of relationships. They either act like we do, brother and sister, or they antagonize each other. When Lilly and Logan were dating, Logan used to say crap like that to me all the time. Usually because he was trying to get me to blush, or make Lilly laugh. But he wasn't serious."

"And now you're dating him." Wallace smiled in triumph. "Did you ever consider the possibility that Logan said stuff like that to you, because even back then, he liked you? And that Weevil does the same thing now for the same reason?"

"Are we having a _When Harry Met Sally_ moment?" Veronica asked, the sarcasm back. "The next thing you're going to say is that guys and girls can't be friends because sex always gets in the way."

Wallace thought for a second, then nodded. "Well, it does." He watched Veronica huff beside him. "I think your theory on guy/girl relationships is half right. But you're not thinking like a guy. The only reason we treat a girl like a sister, is because we aren't attracted to her. You're cute and all, but you're not my type, so we've got the sibling thing going on. But most guys who want to be friends with you," Wallace air quoted the words, "are only waiting around to take their shot."

"If that's true," Veronica held up her hand when she saw the smile creep up once again on Wallace's face. "And I'm not saying it is – but if it is true, then I think Weevil thinks of me like a little sister."

"Wrong again," Wallace said. Once Veronica got an idea in her head it took an avalanche of common sense to knock it lose. "If he did he wouldn't have said what he did. I would never say something like that to you. I wouldn't even think something like that. It's gross."

Veronica pursed her lips. "Gee, thanks."

"You know what I mean." Wallace closed his eyes, prayed for strength. "Mac, a little help here? Please?"

Mac fondly remembered the days before she was friends with Veronica, when human drama was almost completely, blissfully absent from her life. "I've gotten this talk from my older male cousins. And from my dad. They pretty much said the same thing. A guy, as long as he's not gay, is always scoping out girls, even girls he considers friends. He might not constantly think about it, but he does think about it. It's in the DNA." Mac had never experienced the phenomenon herself. Her male friends were all computer geeks who worked from a different set of rules, but she'd observed enough of it at school to know to was true. "Normally, I'd said my cousins are a bunch of idiots, and my dad's being overprotective, but I think they're right. And I think Wallace is right about Weevil."

Veronica was silent for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip and the words of her friends. "You really think –"

"Yes!" came the echoing response.

"Okay, okay." Veronica shifted in her seat. She waited a beat, a then, "But I still think you're wrong."

Wallace groaned. It was going to be a long, long ride back to Neptune.

-VVV

Mac waved goodbye to Wallace as he pulled out of the parking lot of the Grand, then used the same hand to cover her mouth as a yawn escaped. It was almost three in the morning and she was exhausted. She stood with Veronica, hoping that whatever Logan and Dick were discussing, the conversation would end soon. "Thanks for letting me stay tonight."

Veronica, just as tired, gave her a weak smile. "You can barely keep your eyes open. What kind of friend would I be if I let you drive home? I only wish I could have convinced Wallace to stay."

"He's fine. He got a couple hours of sleep in the car." Once the three of them realized they were talking in circles about Weevil, they'd collectively decided to let the subject drop. At least for the time being. But Wallace had shown his displeasure by ignoring Veronica and then dropping off in his seat. "And as long as Logan isn't trying to convince Dick to stay, I'm good with crashing."

Veronica snorted. "I care what happens to you, what happens to Wallace. Dick? Not so much. Besides, this is early for him. He's probably trying to talk Logan into going back to his place to party." She glanced at her watch. One more minute, and then she was going up to the suite with or without Logan. The boys had just spent seven hours in a car together. What could they possibly need to discuss now? "Your parents don't mind you staying here?"

"They were fine with it. The advantages of being a good kid. They actually trust me." Mac leaned against the concrete wall for support. She was practically asleep on her feet. "It didn't take much to convince them to let me come in the first place. They like you."

Veronica raised an eyebrow in speculation. "Even with everything going on?"

"Especially with everything going on. They thought your dad was a good sheriff, that he got a raw deal. I know they voted for him. And all week my mom's been asking me how you're doing, if you need anything." Mac shrugged. "Like I said, they like you."

Veronica looked at her watch again. Time's up, she thought. She started walking towards Dick's car. "Logan? Mac and I are heading up. You can stay down here if you want, but we're going to bed." Dick said something she couldn't hear, but she did notice it got him a smack on the back of the head from Logan.

Finally, Dick drove off and Logan jogged over to where Mac and Veronica were standing. "Sorry. Dick…" He stopped after remembering his audience. "You don't want to know."

Veronica was too tired to argue, and knowing Dick, Logan was probably right – she didn't want to know.

The group made their way to up to the suite. Once through the door, Veronica headed straight for the living room, while Logan detoured toward the kitchenette. She dropped down onto the sofa. "Exactly what are you going to tell your parents about our trip? How you won a ton of money playing blackjack? Or how you beat the crap out of a guy in a parking lot?"

Mac narrowed her eyes at her friend as she flopped down too. "Funny. I was thinking more along the lines of lunch at the Hard Rock. The dancing fountains in front of the Bellagio. The shops at Caesar's. I managed to take a fair number of pictures while Surfer Boy dragged us from casino to casino." She felt a nudge at her shoulder, turned to see Logan extending a bottle of water towards her. "Oh, bless you."

Logan gave a matching bottle to Veronica before sitting next to her on the arm of the sofa. "Thanks," she said as she patted his leg, then quickly pulled her hand away. "Your jeans are wet."

Logan finished taking a long swig of his water before answering. "You know the bump in the road on Henderson? The one they put in to curb speeding?" Veronica nodded. "Dick was taking his drink out of the cup holder right as we went over it. He spilled soda all over me." Mac snorted and Logan smirked. "It really wasn't his fault."

"Did it get all over the car?" Veronica asked around another yawn.

"No, mostly it just got on me. I mopped up the rest with some napkins. The car's fine. But I could definitely use a shower." Logan pulled the material of his jeans away from his thigh. "Sticky." He stood and headed towards Veronica's bedroom. "Night, Mac," he called over his shoulder.

"Goodnight." Mac waited for the door to close before she asked Veronica the one question she'd been dying to know the answer to. "So how did the plan go?"

Veronica barked out a laugh. "Not as planned. But then, did you really think I could pull it off without something going wrong?" She thought about Logan, angry and crying over his mother. "I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe when things settled down..."

"As if that will ever happen." But Mac did pat Veronica shoulder in sympathy. "Meg will be disappointed. I think she's decided to live vicariously through you. But I must admit, I had my doubts when the two of you started off the day by not talking."

That sat in amicable silence, sipping their waters, enjoying the soft, plush comfort of the sofa, until Veronica yawned yet again. "How can I be this tired? All I did was sit in a car."

Mac groggily nodded in understanding. "Long drives are the worst. I'm about ready to pass out too. Before you go to bed, can you grab me a pillow and a blanket for the couch?"

"Don't even pretend you don't know the real sleeping arrangements. Take the second bedroom. No one else is using it. And I'll even lend you a pair of pajamas." Veronica stood with a groan, then stumbled towards her bedroom. She was back a minute later, pjs in hand. "These should work, at least for tonight. Maybe the two of us can go to breakfast – scratch that – lunch when we get up. Just me and you. We can talk." She hadn't given up on finding out exactly what was bothering her friend. Maybe with no one else around, Mac would tell her.

Mac took the offered clothes. "Sounds good, but I'll probably be gone before you wake-up. I have an appointment at nine. Someone's actually paying me to set-up a new computer system for them."

Veronica gave her a fake pout. "My Q's cheating on me?"

"Just doing a little side work, Bond. Nothing for you to worry about." Mac yawned again. "That's it, I'm going to bed. I'll call you tomorrow?"

Veronica wearily nodded and waved listlessly as she headed towards her room. "Night."

Mac walked through the bedroom and straight towards the bathroom. A few of Logan's things were scattered across the counter. She picked up the bottles and tubes, noted the brand names, found a face wash and decided to use it. She didn't think he would mind. Next she squirted a line of toothpaste on her finger and did the best she could without a toothbrush. When that was done, she changed into the loaner pajamas. The cami stretched across her chest and the pants were a little tight in the rear, but she wasn't forced to sleep in her underwear, so she'd deal. She set the alarm clock for seven and slid between the sheets.

She was tired – exhausted, but she stared up at the ceiling, eyes wide open. Telling Veronica about her appointment the next day had brought forward all her anxiety. She hadn't told her parents what she was doing, not sure what their reaction would be. And although she desperately wanted Veronica's opinion and her support, she hadn't said anything to her either. It was entirely possible she was making a huge mistake. A mistake she'd regret for a long, long time. But not going, that seemed like an even bigger mistake. She turned on her side, squeezed her eyes shut. Whatever the consequences, she'd deal with them. She had to know, she just had to.

-TBC


End file.
